US Colleges or UK universities?
I’m debating on applying to us colleges for biology or neuroscience, as I want to study medicine if I stay in the US. Should I apply after sixth from? If I do apply, it will be to all 8 Ivy League colleges and Johns Hopkins. If I stay in the UK, I will apply to Cambridge, Imperial, KCL and Bristol. My predictions for GCSES are 8 A*s and 3 B’s as I’m in Wales so we don’t use numbers.
Top US colleges require more than just grades. The ivies will look at your extracurriculars (very important) and your essays to their specific questions (each university sets their own questions). Everyone applying to these colleges have near-perfect academic credentials, so grades alone cannot differentiate applicants. The acceptance rate is as low as 2% for international applicants.
Reply 2
Would I be better off applying to uk universities and then doing my residency in the US?
Original post by Idk23323_school
Would I be better off applying to uk universities and then doing my residency in the US?
Not sure if it’s possible. In the US medicine is a graduate degree. There is also the issue of recognition of overseas medical training.
Reply 4
I am still going to apply to the US colleges as i still have time to do my extra and supercurriculars. I really want to publish a paper and do my own passion project and for all that i still have 2.5 years left.
According to edurank, the top 20 best universities for Neuroscience in the world are:
Harvard, University College London, John Hopkins, Stanford, Yale, Toronto, University of California - San Francisco, Pennsylvania, Columbia, University of California - San Diego, University of California - Los Angeles, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, University of Washington - Seattle, University of Pittsburgh, University of Oxford, Mcgill, Washington University in St Louis, University of Cambridge, Karolinska Institute Sweden, New York University.
For the other Ivy League universities, Cornell is 21st, Brown is 85th, Princeton is 94th, Dartmouth unknown.
For the other UK universities you named, KCL is 27th, Imperial 82nd, Bristol 93rd.
Other UK universities in the top 100 are: Edinburgh is 61st, and Manchester is 70th.
Research.com puts Cardiff at 71st and Newcastle at 81st.
According to edurank, the top 20 best universities in the world for Biology are:
Harvard, John Hopkins, Stanford, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, University of Washington - Seattle, Toronto, University of California - San Francisco, University College London, Cornell, Pennsylvania, Yale, University of California - Los Angeles, University of Oxford, University of California - Berkeley, University of Wisconsin - Madison, University of Cambridge, MIT, Columbia.
For the other Ivy League universities, ranking is unknown for Princeton, Brown, and Dartmouth.
For the other UK universities you named, Imperial is 38th, KCL 87th, and Bristol 97th.
Other UK universities in the top 100 are: Manchester is 57th, and Edinburgh is 64th.
Harvard, University College London, John Hopkins, Stanford, Yale, Toronto, University of California - San Francisco, Pennsylvania, Columbia, University of California - San Diego, University of California - Los Angeles, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, University of Washington - Seattle, University of Pittsburgh, University of Oxford, Mcgill, Washington University in St Louis, University of Cambridge, Karolinska Institute Sweden, New York University.
For the other Ivy League universities, Cornell is 21st, Brown is 85th, Princeton is 94th, Dartmouth unknown.
For the other UK universities you named, KCL is 27th, Imperial 82nd, Bristol 93rd.
Other UK universities in the top 100 are: Edinburgh is 61st, and Manchester is 70th.
Research.com puts Cardiff at 71st and Newcastle at 81st.
According to edurank, the top 20 best universities in the world for Biology are:
Harvard, John Hopkins, Stanford, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, University of Washington - Seattle, Toronto, University of California - San Francisco, University College London, Cornell, Pennsylvania, Yale, University of California - Los Angeles, University of Oxford, University of California - Berkeley, University of Wisconsin - Madison, University of Cambridge, MIT, Columbia.
For the other Ivy League universities, ranking is unknown for Princeton, Brown, and Dartmouth.
For the other UK universities you named, Imperial is 38th, KCL 87th, and Bristol 97th.
Other UK universities in the top 100 are: Manchester is 57th, and Edinburgh is 64th.
(edited 2 months ago)
Original post by Bibihello
Not sure if it’s possible. In the US medicine is a graduate degree. There is also the issue of recognition of overseas medical training.
It is possible, but competitive.
itll be easier in the uk since it's just less work than the us. you got your undergrad degree then your md school, but in the uk its straight med school.
you can do your med school in the uk and residency in the us since almost all med schools in the uk are recognised in the us, idk how difficult itll be to get a place as an intl grad (also consider placements)
you can do your med school in the uk and residency in the us since almost all med schools in the uk are recognised in the us, idk how difficult itll be to get a place as an intl grad (also consider placements)
someone has more money than sense. your results are just a gate to get your application through the first sort. your personnel statement and work experience are of high importance as is the interview. your ukcat score is of equal importance as your exams. having good results does not guarantee you will get on a course. your American dreams are a serious big risk. as is picking all top unis. consider at least one safer choice.
Original post by paub
someone has more money than sense. your results are just a gate to get your application through the first sort. your personnel statement and work experience are of high importance as is the interview. your ukcat score is of equal importance as your exams. having good results does not guarantee you will get on a course. your American dreams are a serious big risk. as is picking all top unis. consider at least one safer choice.
i agree that its going to be risky, and a backup would be good. but there was no need for the first statement, let op think about what he wants, he can back out if he wishes
Reply 10
Original post by Idk23323_school
I’m debating on applying to us colleges for biology or neuroscience, as I want to study medicine if I stay in the US. Should I apply after sixth from? If I do apply, it will be to all 8 Ivy League colleges and Johns Hopkins. If I stay in the UK, I will apply to Cambridge, Imperial, KCL and Bristol. My predictions for GCSES are 8 A*s and 3 B’s as I’m in Wales so we don’t use numbers.
I think uk is easier for you. Less student debt (you’d have to pay international fees worth tens of thousands every year), just for your premed degree, and then you’d have to do the MCAT and apply for residency which is even more competitive again. In the UK you can apply to undergrad and be a doctor in 5 years, with your fees being about £9500 per year (excl inflation).
You could still work in the US later as a doctor or for research but financially I’d say UK is better. You could still apply for US unis too but I’d definitely try for UK in year 13 (and it’s only shy of £30 for the whole application), whilst you’d have to pay each Uni you apply for in the US.
Are you a state school student or private school?
(edited 2 months ago)
Reply 11
Original post by study23!
I think uk is easier for you. Less student debt (you’d have to pay international fees worth tens of thousands every year), just for your premed degree, and then you’d have to do the MCAT and apply for residency which is even more competitive again. In the UK you can apply to undergrad and be a doctor in 5 years, with your fees being about £9500 per year (excl inflation).
You could still work in the US later as a doctor or for research but financially I’d say UK is better. You could still apply for US unis too but I’d definitely try for UK in year 13 (and it’s only shy of £30 for the whole application), whilst you’d have to pay each Uni you apply for in the US.
Are you a state school student or private school?
You could still work in the US later as a doctor or for research but financially I’d say UK is better. You could still apply for US unis too but I’d definitely try for UK in year 13 (and it’s only shy of £30 for the whole application), whilst you’d have to pay each Uni you apply for in the US.
Are you a state school student or private school?
State student
Reply 12
Original post by Idk23323_school
State student
Then keep a look out on Seren next year (assuming you'll be on the programme and staying in Wales, talk to your school about this if you don't know about it). They usually have webinars/events on applying to the US and may have more insight
(edited 2 months ago)
Reply 13
Original post by Idk23323_school
I’m debating on applying to us colleges for biology or neuroscience, as I want to study medicine if I stay in the US. Should I apply after sixth from? If I do apply, it will be to all 8 Ivy League colleges and Johns Hopkins. If I stay in the UK, I will apply to Cambridge, Imperial, KCL and Bristol. My predictions for GCSES are 8 A*s and 3 B’s as I’m in Wales so we don’t use numbers.
Hi Idk2323_school,
To my knowledge, if you want to apply for medicine, there is a deadline which the universities advertise on their websites. Usually, you apply 1 year before you leave university.
I'll have a dig to see if that policy is still the same & get back to you ASAP.
Kind regards,
Jiya Mahmood
Forensic Medical Science Year 2
University of Bradford Student Room Rep
Original post by Idk23323_school
I’m debating on applying to us colleges for biology or neuroscience, as I want to study medicine if I stay in the US. Should I apply after sixth from? If I do apply, it will be to all 8 Ivy League colleges and Johns Hopkins. If I stay in the UK, I will apply to Cambridge, Imperial, KCL and Bristol. My predictions for GCSES are 8 A*s and 3 B’s as I’m in Wales so we don’t use numbers.
Also if you’re in Wales, consider yourself lucky compared to the rest of the UK (definitely England at least). The student finance system is much better in my opinion (in that you get much more maintenance loan. You’ll be getting like £10K+ in maintenance loan minimum (£12K+ in your case it seems), assuming that you’re eligible for SFW. Compare that to where I am in England where the minimum would be a measly £5K a year).
Take advantage of the good system that you have, I agree with Study23!.
(edited 1 month ago)
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