UVA or UPitt undergrad premed?

[IDKwhatmynameshouldbe]

Hi guys, I may be on the wrong forum but oh well:

So I'm considering between UVA and UPitt for undergrad. Fir Upitt total costs is around 23k while UVA is around 59k after financial aid and scholarships. I know for a fact I want to be a doctor, so which school is better for premed? Which one has higher acceptance rates into MD med schools(not Caribbean)? Also money is a huge factor for me because I don't want to be in too much debt.

Also, I'm an EMT and would like to continue it in college, but it seems neither school has a local EMS squad for undergrad students.

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[Oso]

I think you should have posted in the high school section? But I'm not certain.

I think both are good, well-reputed schools that should set you up well for medical school, provided you put in the work.

If money is a big factor, then I think the answer is pretty obvious (Pittsburg).

 

[IDKwhatmynameshouldbe]

I think both are good, well-reputed schools that should set you up well for medical school, provided you put in the work.

If money is a big factor, then I think the answer is pretty obvious (Pittsburg).

Thanks for the reply. I'm looking for some more specifics about the schools, though. There isn't much information online about the reputations of premed for these schools, so hard facts and statistics, or previous experiences and specific opinions, would be better.

Also, since I have 30+ AP credits, do you think med schools would look down upon skipping a year of college? Also, I didn't mention I made Honors college for Upitt.

 

[doc05]

Both schools are very good. Equivalent in most regards. Choose what you like

Don't use AP credit. Take the courses and get As

 

[Oso]

Thanks for the reply. I'm looking for some more specifics about the schools, though. There isn't much information online about the reputations of premed for these schools, so hard facts and statistics, or previous experiences and specific opinions, would be better.

Also, since I have 30+ AP credits, do you think med schools would look down upon skipping a year of college? Also, I didn't mention I made Honors college for Upitt.

Both are good schools, one is not clearly more prestigious than the other. The hard facts are that, if you attend one of these two schools, your chances of getting into medical school will be much, much, more dependent on your grades, MCAT, and the rest of YOUR application. Between these two schools, the main things to consider should be finances and where you will be happiest. Much more important than %premeds applied who got accepted or any other similar statistics. Just my $0.02.

 

[moequestions]

I went to an average university and have multiple acceptances from decent med schools. My opinion, it does not really matter where you go for undergrad. Instead you should be focused on doing well academically (GPA/MCAT) and getting high-quality experiences (volunteering, shadowing, leadership roles, etc...).

Good luck kid!

 

[Instatewaiter]

While I agree happiness, where you can do well, and cost are significant factors people are acting like Pitt and UVA are equivalent. UVA is significantly more prestigious than Pitt and has a markedly better national reputation. Whether that will turn into a better chance of medical acceptance or is worth the extra money is up to you. An extra 20K for undergrad is a clear difference but when you're going to be spending 200K for medical school it is not that different

If you believe in US news rankings, one is withint the top 25 and the other barely cracks the top 75. High school college counselors rank pitt at #90 nationally and UVA at 22. Hell Pitt isn't even in the top 20 public colleges in the country. UVA is #3 (previously #1).

OP choose where you liked better and think you'll be happier.

 

[IDKwhatmynameshouldbe]

Thanks for the replies guys. I know UVA has prestige, but I'm trying not to be influenced by rankings. I understand UVA is obviously a better school, but when it comes to premed, rankings usually don't matter much, right?

Also, does anyone know the med school acceptance rates for UVA and Upitt undergrad? I'm sure that's probably the most important statistic/number to consider when choosing a premed undergrad.

 

[fdgjfg]

Undergrad rankings do matter, but more so among the elite med schools (top 20). Less so at other lower-ranked schools. So if you're interested in academic medicine/research, then ranking might be something to consider. Rankings are also more important for other career options if you're hedging your bets. For example, if you think there's the possibility that you might switch to banking/consulting, UVAs status as a solid semi-target offers a pretty substantial advantage.

Typically, top undergrad alum successes at T20 med schools are probably not due to the ranking itself, but rather the increased opportunities that students are given at higher-ranked schools. The fact that Pitt has a T20 med school and a strong medical research complex somewhat mitigates this difference (part of the top undergrad advantage is having access to well-known/funded PIs, opportunities to publish, and exposure to meaningful/relevant research (top med schools are research oriented so these are all especially important), and Pitt has all of these things).

I wouldn't get too stuck on reported acceptance rates. They're can be pretty heavily influenced by the philosophy of the advising office (i.e. some schools seek a very high acceptance rate so they'll try to push out weaker students, while others take all-comers and have a lower acceptance rate).

I'd recommend that you concentrate more on financials and fit. Financially, there's not a huge difference between the two, but maybe a few circumstances that could influence your evaluation, these being 1). if you'd have to take out private loans for UVA but not for Pitt (private loans are bad) or 2). if there'd be significant financial hardship (i.e. you'd have to work year round or if it would make life tough on your family). If those things aren't the case, you can concentrate more on fit. The settings and social atmospheres of these schools are very different, and you likely have a preference. Undergrad is a time to enjoy life and explore interests, so don't only think about practical pre-med related things. Also consider the type of peers that you enjoy working with - UVAs rank advantage will place you with fellow students who are probably slightly more academically engaged/capable who could push you, for example.

 

[IDKwhatmynameshouldbe]

Undergrad rankings do matter, but more so among the elite med schools (top 20). Less so at other lower-ranked schools. So if you're interested in academic medicine/research, then ranking might be something to consider. Rankings are also more important for other career options if you're hedging your bets. For example, if you think there's the possibility that you might switch to banking/consulting, UVAs status as a solid semi-target offers a pretty substantial advantage.

Typically, top undergrad alum successes at T20 med schools are probably not due to the ranking itself, but rather the increased opportunities that students are given at higher-ranked schools. The fact that Pitt has a T20 med school and a strong medical research complex somewhat mitigates this difference (part of the top undergrad advantage is having access to well-known/funded PIs, opportunities to publish, and exposure to meaningful/relevant research (top med schools are research oriented so these are all especially important), and Pitt has all of these things).

I wouldn't get too stuck on reported acceptance rates. They're can be pretty heavily influenced by the philosophy of the advising office (i.e. some schools seek a very high acceptance rate so they'll try to push out weaker students, while others take all-comers and have a lower acceptance rate).

I'd recommend that you concentrate more on financials and fit. Financially, there's not a huge difference between the two, but maybe a few circumstances that could influence your evaluation, these being 1). if you'd have to take out private loans for UVA but not for Pitt (private loans are bad) or 2). if there'd be significant financial hardship (i.e. you'd have to work year round or if it would make life tough on your family). If those things aren't the case, you can concentrate more on fit. The settings and social atmospheres of these schools are very different, and you likely have a preference. Undergrad is a time to enjoy life and explore interests, so don't only think about practical pre-med related things. Also consider the type of peers that you enjoy working with - UVAs rank advantage will place you with fellow students who are probably slightly more academically engaged/capable who could push you, for example.

Thank you for the elaborate reply.

It seems for me UPitt Honors College is the better option. Thanks everyone for the replies; I will probably commit soon.