Help choose Pre-Med School - WashU, Vanderbilt, UofIowa

[pkota06]

Hey everyone!

I'm trying to decide right now between WashU (have to pay full price), Vanderbilt (national merit 6k/yr scholarship), and my state school (University of Iowa, 13k/year Total Cost) for pre-med. I'm currently a senior in high school that has to decide before May 7th.

I was wondering what everyone's thoughts were? What complicates this for me is that I'm an international applicant. I've lived in the U.S. for almost my entire life, but I am still on a visa and not a permanent resident w/ green card. We may or may not get it before medical school admissions, but I'm planning for the scenario that I don't get it.

With that said, what would be the best place to go to maximize my chances for medical school admissions? I haven't really heard any success stories for international pre-meds from my state school; although it does have good medical opportunities, especially with Carver Medical School. And that veers me towards WashU/Vanderbilt, as I've heard that having a prestigious undergrad will provide better chances to get into the top tier private medical schools (usually the only ones I can even apply to—e.g. Carver does not accept internationals).

Correct me if I'm wrong over anything, and I'd love your thoughts/advice over any piece of information/factor: whether it's about pre-med advising, hospital, research, grading, environment/culture, peers, prestige, etc...

Thank you so much for your help everyone! It's much appreciated.

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[mistafab]

Isn't WashU free for undergrads starting next year? If so, I would go there.

Otherwise, I would go to either WashU or Vandy, whichever is cheaper for you. Both are great schools and will not impede you becoming an MD.

 

[pkota06]

Isn't WashU free for undergrads starting next year? If so, I would go there.

Otherwise, I would go to either WashU or Vandy, whichever is cheaper for you. Both are great schools and will not impede you becoming an MD.

WashU only adopted a no-loan policy, so it is free by need-based aid.

 

[damien_chazelle_fan]

If you weren't international, then it would be Iowa by a mile. However, international premed for USMD schools is literally the hardest bracket of the US premed, especially if you aren´t URM. If you are risk averse and willing to eat the price, I would say WashU or Vandy (idk what the exact difference in cost is or the difference between the two undergrads, so I don't think it matters for premed other than Vandy having more lay prestige). If you want to invest in yourself and believe that you will be the best applicant to come out of Iowa (which you reasonably could be based on being a national merit scholar), then go with Iowa and grind like it's nobody's business

 

[LizzyM]

If all else is equal, choose the least expensive. If something you'd prefer due to location, course offerings, etc is more expensive, ask yourself if it is worth $__ that you'd be paying compared with the least expensive option.

 

[sapphire_fire]

Do you have a SSN? That will be important to have regardless of whether you end up with PR or not, since I have not encountered anywhere you can do clinical volunteering without one (I don't understand why). It also makes the process of becoming a TA/doing paid research a lot easier.

What stage of the green card application process are you in? I would urge you to really try and get that PR while you are in college. It is a game changer, not only because of financial aid for medical school but also because there are 3-4 times more schools that you can apply to, including many schools that are easier to be admitted to. Without PR, unless you are a stellar applicant, admission is not guaranteed since the school list you will apply to will have to be harder the average applicant's.

 

[pkota06]

Do you have a SSN? That will be important to have regardless of whether you end up with PR or not, since I have not encountered anywhere you can do clinical volunteering without one (I don't understand why). It also makes the process of becoming a TA/doing paid research a lot easier.

What stage of the green card application process are you in? I would urge you to really try and get that PR while you are in college. It is a game changer, not only because of financial aid for medical school but also because there are 3-4 times more schools that you can apply to, including many schools that are easier to be admitted to. Without PR, unless you are a stellar applicant, admission is not guaranteed since the school list you will apply to will have to be harder the average applicant's.

I do have an SSN, but the PR/green card is unknown when I’ll be able to get it. It just keeps getting delayed, so I’m currently planning on not receiving it regardless of what the predictions say right now (2 years). In this case, is it agreeable that going to a more prestigious undergrad would provide further benefits as an international?

 

[Senior_Applicant]

Just a note, Vandy is considered by most to be “more prestigious” than WashU in almost all other regards aside medicine. Something to note if you change paths in the next 4 years and pick a career that school prestige heavily matters (law, tech, constituting, banking, etc). Obviously can’t go wrong, but something to note.

 

[sapphire_fire]

I do have an SSN, but the PR/green card is unknown when I’ll be able to get it. It just keeps getting delayed, so I’m currently planning on not receiving it regardless of what the predictions say right now (2 years). In this case, is it agreeable that going to a more prestigious undergrad would provide further benefits as an international?

I don’t have a lot of knowledge about the prestige at undergrad and how it may improve your chances. I would be curious to know whether going to WashU/Vanderbilt gives you a better chance at being admitted to their respective medical schools. If that is the case, an added bonus for WashU/Vanderbilt is that it improves your chances with at least 1 school that accepts internationals. I wouldn’t base my whole decision on this though.
You will be able to build a strong application wherever you go as long as you put the work in. If financials are not a problem for you/your family, I’d go with WashU/Vandy. I have the impression that it’s easier to get involved in research/volunteering/clubs in smaller schools, and that International/Pre-Med advising is more easily accessible. Smaller class sizes also make it easier to get LOEs. The differences are not that big though and can be made up for with planning and effort. So, if financials are a consideration, I’d probably go with Iowa.

 

[Nontrad_FL_LGBT]

Didn't you already post this and everyone told you to go to Iowa because it was cheapest and your undergrad school doesn't really matter unless it's Harvard-tier?

 

[Obnoxious Dad]

Hey everyone!

I'm trying to decide right now between WashU (have to pay full price) and Vanderbilt (national merit 6k/yr off full price) for pre-med. I'm currently a senior in high school that has to decide before May 7th.

I was wondering what everyone's thoughts were? What would be the best place to go to maximize my chances for medical school admissions?

I'd love your thoughts/advice over any piece of information/factor: whether it's about pre-med advising, hospital, research, grading, environment/culture, peers, prestige, etc...

I wanted to see how you would convince or deter me from Vanderbilt versus WashU or vice versa?

Let me know if you need anymore information from me.

Thank you so much for your help everyone! It's much appreciated.

Your best choice is Iowa. The competition won't be as stiff. Iowa will be $50,000 per year cheaper. You'll have a lot more fun in Iowa City than you'd have in St. Louis.

Vanderbilt and Wash U have average SAT scores above 1,500 while Iowa's is under 1,300. You may think you are a hot shot now, but you haven't ever seen the competition you will face at Vanderbilt and Wash U. You won't just face competition for grades. You will be fighting for research opportunities as well.

I suspect that you are an Iowa resident and will pay instate tuition. Your cost of attendance at Iowa would be $26,883. The cost of attendance at Wash U is $83,476 per year without aid. The cost of attendance at Vanderbilt is $84,412 so in your case it would be $78,412. Why would you spend $200,000 more over four years?

 

[chilly_md]

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