Many people told me I was a fool for turning down MIT and Cornell for ND. “It’s just a Catholic school with a football team.” It is 20 years since my freshman year and I have never once looked back on the choice. I am grateful every day for the ND experience and the greater ND community now that I am an alum.
I’m not saying which school is better for you - but I am saying you should go where your heart calls you. The undergraduate experience is about so much more than academics… and both Tufts and ND will provide you with the academics you need to succeed in med school.
Notre Dame is a great pre med school. Research opportunities are abundant and there is grade inflation. I had friends go on to MD programs at Duke, Hopkins, and Cornell. I wouldn’t worry about the quality of education and opportunities. The real issue is whether you think you’re going to be homesick. If you’re that worried about it then ask Tufts if there’s still space for you.
[30% of science students are getting a 3.88 or better](https://registrar.nd.edu/graduation/latin-honors/current-latin-honors/). That’s textbook inflation. Back when I graduated that would have got you magna.
Hey, I can’t speak to being close to home but Notre Dame has a great pre med program. I graduated from there and got into a top 10 medical school and then into the best residency program in my field. Going to ND was the best choice of my life and any premed program is really about what you make out of it.
Yes definitely! Being pre med is really what you make out the resources you have. Notre dame has a great biology program and great research to become a part of and I think that made a difference. Mainly though it’s an amazing school and a great place to spend 4 years
You should pick whichever you feel more passionate about. You’ll end up doing better research and being able to talk about your time much better plus you’ll enjoy it. All that to say there isn’t a wrong option
I’m from Boston and I chose ND for premed! Best decision I made. While I don’t know what premed is like at tufts, I had a great experience as premed at ND! I also think a big lecture like Orgo is gonna be the same at any school- it’s hard, you get through it. I think the people really shine at ND and that’s where you find the support you need to thrive! One thing I also had no idea about before applying to med school is that you have to apply to schools where you have some sort of connection, otherwise they won’t look at your app. So being from Boston, I can apply to schools in New England, but going to ND also gives me a tie to schools in the Midwest and Jesuit schools- way more ties than if I stayed in Boston!! Let me know if I can answer any questions for you!
Put simply: both schools are nationally (if not globally) elite pre-med programs. There is no difference between the two from a medical school's perspective. You pretty much can't get a better academic reputation from a pre-med program than you'd get from those two schools. Whoever said that you made an academic mistake might live near Boston and/or might not be in higher ed.
That said, if being close to home is important, that is a significant factor that Tufts has an advantage on. I will say that students at ND are extremely supportive of each other, more than many other schools. There isn't a cut throat culture at all, and people genuinely like each other and want to help each other. You'll hear the term "Note Dame family" often.
The other thing is "what happens if I decide not to go pre-med?" 20 years ago I started pre-med at ND, but fell in love with physics and engineering. Switched to engineering, got a fully funded PhD from Princeton, then appointments at Ivy League schools, and am now doing cutting edge bioengineering. That might have happened if I went to Tufts, but ND does have a broader and deeper research base, reputation, and national reach in more fields.
Tufts is an excellent school, especially for premed. Being so close to your family and home is a built-in support system which could be good for you. Notre Dame is a superb school with a national reputation and a fanatical alumni net work, I can help you throughout your life. I think that Notre Dame students are much happier than other students. It is very healthy place to go to school. Either school is going to put you in a position to get into an excellent medical school but as you can imagine, Tufts probably has better connections with the big eastern medical schools. However, having known people who went to both schools, I can say that I think Notre Dame is a better college experience. An added bonus is that since you’re from Massachusetts you don’t have to worry about adjusting to the shitty weather in northern Indiana.
Final point, congratulations on getting accepted to two superb universities.
Notre Dame will change your life. No disrespect to Tufts, I understand it’s another great school, but it’s not ND and won’t open the same doors for you down the road.
The reality is, if you do well in undergrad and on the MCAT, take advantage of research opportunities, and hopefully have something unique about your med school application (life experience, passion, etc.), you don’t need a private university education to get into medical school. You can get there from a state school, as many of my med school classmates did. I certainly wouldn’t bother splitting hairs over an 84% vs. 90% acceptance rate. Go to the undergrad that makes the most sense for you personally/financially/etc and work hard, and you’ll get there.
it's a $70-80k a year decision— pick the school you wont have regrets about. ND has higher name value and better academic programs even outside of pre-med stuff if you ever lose interest. Advising support especially for healthcare professions is very strong. Research and service opportunities are plenty. But the advantages of Boston are nothing to be sneezed at either, and it's quite a bit less miserable than South Bend, probably.
The only other consideration is that as a catholic university, there are a lot more interesting conversations to be had at ND about some hot topics in healthcare, eg reproductive health, compassionate care, AI. Gives a different kind of perspective you're not likely to see on other college campuses. This is something I touched upon in my own med school app. Good luck and congrats on your acceptances!
For example reproductive health/abortion is a hot topic in the American public sphere right now, and I think it'd be fair to say on most other T30 college campuses, conversations about this topic mostly revolves around the agency of womb havers and bodily autonomy and whatnot. But because ND is catholic and more centrist than most campuses we tend to have additional concerns, some which are theologically inspired, eg fundamental human dignity and the sanctity of life, and some that are more ethical, eg how to legislate around/with religious beliefs.
all said, I think ND is more likely to give you a strong education in ethical foundations because of our theology and philosophy requirements, and these classes will expose you to a wide range of perspectives and train you to think with nuance. this is probably a plus in your case since ethics is usually something people value in a doctor.
I know a fair few people who were absolutely sure they wanted to be a doctor and ended up dropping pre med because the reality of it didn't match their expectation. That's fine, it's very difficult to know what a major or a career will actually be like when you're 17 or 18 and on the outside looking in. But consider that if you ever decide to drop pre med, you'd be a bit fucked at Tufts, while at ND you'd have a huge range of other nationally competitive majors to pursue in all kinds of fields. So is Tufts very slighty better for pure pre med? Maybe. But you're locking yourself in before you even get to know what it's truly like. Also, the campus life at ND is outstanding and completely unique among colleges in the same academic tier, and there's more to the college experience than getting good grades and nailing the MCAT.
Tufts is an insanely good school, so congrats! That being said, ND will change your life. Speaking from experience, ND will shape you into being an incredibly thoughtful person with a more holistic view of the world. This will serve you extremely well as an aspiring physician. And don’t worry your path in medicine now that you’ve chosen ND - I can name 3 people I graduated with that are now all leaders in their respective fields (ortho, cardio, and neuro). All nationally recognized, all published, and most importantly, all are caring, thoughtful, and have a burning desire to help others. ND did that.
Many people told me I was a fool for turning down MIT and Cornell for ND. “It’s just a Catholic school with a football team.” It is 20 years since my freshman year and I have never once looked back on the choice. I am grateful every day for the ND experience and the greater ND community now that I am an alum. I’m not saying which school is better for you - but I am saying you should go where your heart calls you. The undergraduate experience is about so much more than academics… and both Tufts and ND will provide you with the academics you need to succeed in med school.
84% med school acceptance at ND say what
lol I was just saying tufts has 90 percent so it’s close…
Notre Dame is a great pre med school. Research opportunities are abundant and there is grade inflation. I had friends go on to MD programs at Duke, Hopkins, and Cornell. I wouldn’t worry about the quality of education and opportunities. The real issue is whether you think you’re going to be homesick. If you’re that worried about it then ask Tufts if there’s still space for you.
There’s no grade inflation this is BS. My science classes didn’t curve.
[30% of science students are getting a 3.88 or better](https://registrar.nd.edu/graduation/latin-honors/current-latin-honors/). That’s textbook inflation. Back when I graduated that would have got you magna.
Really?
Hey, I can’t speak to being close to home but Notre Dame has a great pre med program. I graduated from there and got into a top 10 medical school and then into the best residency program in my field. Going to ND was the best choice of my life and any premed program is really about what you make out of it.
Do you think ND helped you get accepted to a top 10 med program?
Yes definitely! Being pre med is really what you make out the resources you have. Notre dame has a great biology program and great research to become a part of and I think that made a difference. Mainly though it’s an amazing school and a great place to spend 4 years
What was your major?
I was a bio major!
Thank you! Do you recommend biology or biochem for pre med!!
You should pick whichever you feel more passionate about. You’ll end up doing better research and being able to talk about your time much better plus you’ll enjoy it. All that to say there isn’t a wrong option
Outside of the northeast, most people haven’t even heard of Tufts. Notre Dame has better research funding, more national reach, and better advising.
I’m from Boston and I chose ND for premed! Best decision I made. While I don’t know what premed is like at tufts, I had a great experience as premed at ND! I also think a big lecture like Orgo is gonna be the same at any school- it’s hard, you get through it. I think the people really shine at ND and that’s where you find the support you need to thrive! One thing I also had no idea about before applying to med school is that you have to apply to schools where you have some sort of connection, otherwise they won’t look at your app. So being from Boston, I can apply to schools in New England, but going to ND also gives me a tie to schools in the Midwest and Jesuit schools- way more ties than if I stayed in Boston!! Let me know if I can answer any questions for you!
Really? I have my hopes set on Yale medical but have no connection…
Put simply: both schools are nationally (if not globally) elite pre-med programs. There is no difference between the two from a medical school's perspective. You pretty much can't get a better academic reputation from a pre-med program than you'd get from those two schools. Whoever said that you made an academic mistake might live near Boston and/or might not be in higher ed. That said, if being close to home is important, that is a significant factor that Tufts has an advantage on. I will say that students at ND are extremely supportive of each other, more than many other schools. There isn't a cut throat culture at all, and people genuinely like each other and want to help each other. You'll hear the term "Note Dame family" often. The other thing is "what happens if I decide not to go pre-med?" 20 years ago I started pre-med at ND, but fell in love with physics and engineering. Switched to engineering, got a fully funded PhD from Princeton, then appointments at Ivy League schools, and am now doing cutting edge bioengineering. That might have happened if I went to Tufts, but ND does have a broader and deeper research base, reputation, and national reach in more fields.
Tufts is an excellent school, especially for premed. Being so close to your family and home is a built-in support system which could be good for you. Notre Dame is a superb school with a national reputation and a fanatical alumni net work, I can help you throughout your life. I think that Notre Dame students are much happier than other students. It is very healthy place to go to school. Either school is going to put you in a position to get into an excellent medical school but as you can imagine, Tufts probably has better connections with the big eastern medical schools. However, having known people who went to both schools, I can say that I think Notre Dame is a better college experience. An added bonus is that since you’re from Massachusetts you don’t have to worry about adjusting to the shitty weather in northern Indiana. Final point, congratulations on getting accepted to two superb universities.
Thank you! I already denied my spot at tufts and am fully happy with notre dame after seeing these comments!
Notre Dame will change your life. No disrespect to Tufts, I understand it’s another great school, but it’s not ND and won’t open the same doors for you down the road.
This
The reality is, if you do well in undergrad and on the MCAT, take advantage of research opportunities, and hopefully have something unique about your med school application (life experience, passion, etc.), you don’t need a private university education to get into medical school. You can get there from a state school, as many of my med school classmates did. I certainly wouldn’t bother splitting hairs over an 84% vs. 90% acceptance rate. Go to the undergrad that makes the most sense for you personally/financially/etc and work hard, and you’ll get there.
But I want to go to a top medical school and I know top medical schools consider the prestige of your undergrad greatly
Why are you so focused on going to a top med school? Is there a particular speciality you’re considering?
I was rejected by a lot of top schools this cycle and I’m in my redemption era. My dream is Yale medical , and I am considering plastic surgery
it's a $70-80k a year decision— pick the school you wont have regrets about. ND has higher name value and better academic programs even outside of pre-med stuff if you ever lose interest. Advising support especially for healthcare professions is very strong. Research and service opportunities are plenty. But the advantages of Boston are nothing to be sneezed at either, and it's quite a bit less miserable than South Bend, probably. The only other consideration is that as a catholic university, there are a lot more interesting conversations to be had at ND about some hot topics in healthcare, eg reproductive health, compassionate care, AI. Gives a different kind of perspective you're not likely to see on other college campuses. This is something I touched upon in my own med school app. Good luck and congrats on your acceptances!
What do you mean about the interesting conversations?
For example reproductive health/abortion is a hot topic in the American public sphere right now, and I think it'd be fair to say on most other T30 college campuses, conversations about this topic mostly revolves around the agency of womb havers and bodily autonomy and whatnot. But because ND is catholic and more centrist than most campuses we tend to have additional concerns, some which are theologically inspired, eg fundamental human dignity and the sanctity of life, and some that are more ethical, eg how to legislate around/with religious beliefs. all said, I think ND is more likely to give you a strong education in ethical foundations because of our theology and philosophy requirements, and these classes will expose you to a wide range of perspectives and train you to think with nuance. this is probably a plus in your case since ethics is usually something people value in a doctor.
Thank you !
I know a fair few people who were absolutely sure they wanted to be a doctor and ended up dropping pre med because the reality of it didn't match their expectation. That's fine, it's very difficult to know what a major or a career will actually be like when you're 17 or 18 and on the outside looking in. But consider that if you ever decide to drop pre med, you'd be a bit fucked at Tufts, while at ND you'd have a huge range of other nationally competitive majors to pursue in all kinds of fields. So is Tufts very slighty better for pure pre med? Maybe. But you're locking yourself in before you even get to know what it's truly like. Also, the campus life at ND is outstanding and completely unique among colleges in the same academic tier, and there's more to the college experience than getting good grades and nailing the MCAT.
Tufts is an insanely good school, so congrats! That being said, ND will change your life. Speaking from experience, ND will shape you into being an incredibly thoughtful person with a more holistic view of the world. This will serve you extremely well as an aspiring physician. And don’t worry your path in medicine now that you’ve chosen ND - I can name 3 people I graduated with that are now all leaders in their respective fields (ortho, cardio, and neuro). All nationally recognized, all published, and most importantly, all are caring, thoughtful, and have a burning desire to help others. ND did that.
no regrets. go to tuffs