[time is running out] What college should I go to?

I don't get why everyone disses on UH. It is a good school and there is no shame in graduating from there, despite what your A&M or UT alums might tell you. Go to UH, get good grades, and you'll still get into medical school.

I worked 20-30 hours a week, graduated from UH in five years . Oh, and I got a job without a problem and had fun. Plus if you get bored, you go visit your friends at Sam Houston State on a weekend.

 

Undergrad matters when it comes to getting into higher educational institutes. The education is not the same everywhere. That is a misconception that can make a student unhappy very fast. Schools like Harvard, University of Dallas, Norte Dame, Georgetown... they use a great books core program that lets you study the original text (enjoy dante, virgil?). Many schools in Cali and the East coast will focus on theory based texts (like to argue polemics with Schimdt, Lou, Kant). It is up to you to make sure that the school is a fit for you. Don't go the NYU to go into science, don't to MIT to get into politics. The education you get will shape you... it will teach you how to write...how to think... it will shape you as a young independent thinker. Now keep in mind, great individuals will succeed no matter what the circumstances are. The majority of us however are not great people...but we can all work hard and take any advantage that comes our way. A great undergrad edu is one of those things. Choosing education based on money is the worst decision you will ever make. Now I don't know about med school, but I do know about law schools (currently applying myself) and within the top 50 law schools, top 10% graduates average 180 grand starting salary. 100-50 law schools top 10% grad average 78 grand. A great undergrad program helps build connections to the schools that put you into the best position to succeed. Columbia and Georgetown have many connections to the World Institute of Politics...over half of Harvard business is comprised of Harvard grads... so on and so forth. A great education will pay for itself if you work hard and apply yourself. Get into the best school you can, work hard, get a 4.0, do well on your Mcat...I promise you that you will get into any med school of your dreams.

Keep in mind that while college is relatively "easy," there is a lot of freedom and the social aspect that is a worthwhile venture. Make sure the school you go to will have the activities that you would like to participate in.

 

First, distance shouldn't matter. If you really want to go to Med School, have the courage to go off somewhere away from the parents.

Second, go to the best school you can. Period. Regardless of cost or location. It will pay off eventually.

I agree with Vivid... Rice will be child's play compared to Med School regarding competitiveness. You'll pay off your debt in no time as long as you don't let some sexy young nurse con you into marriage too early.

So, of the three, bite the bullet and go to Rice... but I think you should broaden your choices.

 

Edit: And don't get caught up in the Med path. Take classes that have nothing to do with Med... learn a little about a lot of things... you might find something you like better.

Edit II: Ooops, I didn't do that right.

 

i have a friend in the JAMP and HLSAMP programs at UH and is going to start med school next fall. i am not sure why you think the education is at UH is mediocre. I have friends at UT, A&M, and Baylor who learn the exact same things that I do at UH. you should definitely not rule going there out.

as long as you are determined and willing to work hard at what you want, you can get into med school at any university. keep gpa's high, talk to your professors often, and study hard for the mcats.

 

As a UT alum and UH grad student, I'd have to say I cannot in good faith recommend UH undergrad for anyone who can afford to go to A&M. Even though I bleed orange, I'd rather a promising student go to A&M where they will be adequately challenged than go to Cougar High. I don't disparage anyone who went to UH, but there is a major gap in funding, opportunity, and quality of student life between A&M and UH. There's a reason people send their kids out of town to schools like Sam Houston and Texas State when UH offers the same education. UH and A&M aren't even in the same ballpark.

However, that said, I'd encourage you to seek a private education given your goal of attending Baylor Medical. Rice is a great school, but please also consider going to a school out of state. Unless you have a family situation that keeps you home, moving far away for college is a great experience that you can really benefit from. I really wish I hadn't limited myself to UT when I was picking schools for undergrad, as there are great, great education opportunities everywhere, and you rarely ever get that kind of chance to try something different out again.

 

The p*rn producer is right, Rice will give you the skillset to succeed in a competitive medical environment and will also give you other options in case you decide to have a change of heart down the road.

 

He's not planning on using his bachelor's, so in this case undergrad at any school will do. It's all about GPA, and to a lesser extent, recommendations, volunteer work, etc.

 

Mac- If you can get into Rice, you should go there. It is by far the best school out of the ones you mentioned. It will cost you some money but it should be worth it at the end.

The biggest thing you have to determine is how hard you want to study for the next 3-5 years.

 

All three schools have very good academics. I would generally advise someone to get into the highest ranked school if they are doing something like business, since many initial hiring companies care about that.

But for medical school, you can easily get into medical school from TAMU or UH if you have above a 3.85 and good MCAT scores

Professors wise most schools nowadays have the same level of professors. I mean most of them all have PHd's from noteworthy schools.

Only knock against UH is there isn't much community feel as there is for Rice since most people don't live on campus. TAMU means you are stuck in College Station, which I personally don't like the city at all. But it has a good community aspect to it.

If you are taking out federal loans to attend Rice, I think you can keep deferring the payment until you are out of medical school completely. (Not 100% sure what the rules on federal loans are though).

But remember out of medical school you will be earning 40-50K as a resident, not 300K as someone mentioned earlier. Residency is 4 years usually.

I think you can get into the Honors Program at UH. It is pretty good from what I have heard. If you want the best hybrid of all, I would suggest UT-Austin as it is the best mix of all three schools.

As an aside, one of my brothers went to Trinity and then went to medical school in Dallas, and he said his undergrad education was harder than actual medical school.

 

UH gets so little respect sometimes....which is complete and utter bs. They have grown in leaps and bounds and just because the university doesn't get the attention that UT or A&M get doesn't mean it doesn't provide a good education.

The only knock against it is that it's a commuter school...so you don't get the school spirit and the sense of community that you would at other places. But unless you're into that sort of thing, who the hell cares.

And considering the cost of higher education these days, might as well find the best bang for your buck.

 

Sounds to me like Rice isn't an option because of price (blow your wad on medical school, not undergrad)

Go to TAMU if you can get a decent scholarship, it sounds like that is more of the environment you're looking for.

Not having to worry about cost of living or student loans is a huge bonus with UH. And don't be fooled, you can challenge yourself academically at UH and also be part of a growing student life environment if you should so choose.

The difference between UT/TAMU in terms of student life, imo, is that at UH you have to be willing to go find it, whereas at the other places, it finds you.

Go where you will be happiest, period.

 

Go to Rice. If you can get in, you can get grants and loans. I know Trader_J says he went there, but despite that, it's a damned good school with a national reputation. Your degree will be worth more, in my opinion, than the other two, and I have long ties to UH. Besides, the neighborhood is great, they have all those trees, and the bars in the area are fantastic.

After you get your degree from Rice, see if you can go to Duke. A great medical school.

 

You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.

 

if you can get in to rice, go there. otherwise u of h.



f the ags

 

sounds to me like you're completely ignoring every and all social aspects of college life.

HUGE MISTAKE.

get the hell out of town, meet new people, live independently, learn, and HAVE FUN.

getting a great education and having an active social life are NOT mutually exclusive... you need to view college as more than just an opportunity to learn a trade.

oh yeah, go to a school with a REAL football program.

 

Soooooo, not A&M???

Are you still pissed that Bailiff left Texas State for Rice?

 

hey, who were you? lol yeah, mrs BLACK left. and i believe a ms. akbar took over for ronnenkamp

 

UH>>>>>>A&M>>Rice

that's a fact...