Anonymous wrote:As a freshman? Seems like odd timing. When I was in college, most people studied abroad junior year. Maybe it has to do with how the curriculum is structured in your child’s major?

I loved studying abroad and the city of Madrid and wouldn’t rule it out without strong consideration, especially since the tuition is the same.

"First semester freshman year abroad" is a thing a lot of schools are doing and I think it's to ease their freshman housing problems more than to benefit the students.

Will he actually be taking pre-med classes overseas?
I wouldn't want the distraction of being in a foreign country when taking these. You need to get As. The kids I know who were successful in getting into medical school worked really hard as pre-meds. If it was an easy track or one you could half ass while also learning Spanish or sight-seeing Madrid more people would go to medical school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kid received an offer to spend the Fall semester at CWRU in Madrid, before the Spring Semester at CWRU in Cleveland. The offer comes with merit scholarship for 8 semesters. All tuition and room & board pay to CWRU like usual, with the travel expenses to and from Madrid being the extra. Anyone has any experience in this?

I think the smallest, gentlest program might be the best. If he likes Oberlin, maybe that’s good for premeds?

But CWRU is premed central, and it would be a lot of fun to go to Madrid. So, if he wants that, I’d be fine with that, too.

I’ll bet UMass, Pitt and the others are just as hard for premeds but without the CWRU glow.

Does the scholarship make CWRU cheaper than Pitt? If not, I say Pitt Honors. I gave my thoughts on Pitt vs. CWRU on another thread. I graduated from Pitt. My dad worked at Case. 2 of my family graduated from CWRU in olden times.

I've been to Madrid and I'm not opposed to starting an unusual program to get the desired school. But there are negatives to not starting at main campus as a freshman. For the same price, I'd choose Pitt for someone with no prior interest in Spain.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kid received an offer to spend the Fall semester at CWRU in Madrid, before the Spring Semester at CWRU in Cleveland. The offer comes with merit scholarship for 8 semesters. All tuition and room & board pay to CWRU like usual, with the travel expenses to and from Madrid being the extra. Anyone has any experience in this?

I think the smallest, gentlest program might be the best. If he likes Oberlin, maybe that’s good for premeds?

But CWRU is premed central, and it would be a lot of fun to go to Madrid. So, if he wants that, I’d be fine with that, too.

I’ll bet UMass, Pitt and the others are just as hard for premeds but without the CWRU glow.

Going abroad for a first semester at the school’s
Mandate and at its directed location is never ideal. If:

No other good options or the kid loves the school, then yes. Otherwise, no.

Looking at the CWRU Madrid website it sounds fantastic! Classes are in English and there will be dedicated people to assist. He will be fine only knowing a few words of Spanish. Madrid is a cosmopolitan city. And he can use the opportunity to learn some Spanish, a language in great demand in medical fields.

Anonymous wrote:Kid received an offer to spend the Fall semester at CWRU in Madrid, before the Spring Semester at CWRU in Cleveland. The offer comes with merit scholarship for 8 semesters. All tuition and room & board pay to CWRU like usual, with the travel expenses to and from Madrid being the extra. Anyone has any experience in this?

I think the smallest, gentlest program might be the best. If he likes Oberlin, maybe that’s good for premeds?

But CWRU is premed central, and it would be a lot of fun to go to Madrid. So, if he wants that, I’d be fine with that, too.

I’ll bet UMass, Pitt and the others are just as hard for premeds but without the CWRU glow.

As a freshman? Seems like odd timing. When I was in college, most people studied abroad junior year. Maybe it has to do with how the curriculum is structured in your child’s major?

I loved studying abroad and the city of Madrid and wouldn’t rule it out without strong consideration, especially since the tuition is the same.

I'd be worried that my kid would refuse to come back.

Anonymous wrote:What are their other choices ? CWRU is great for premed -lots of opportunities at Cle clinic and university hospitals

UIUC
Pitt-Honors
UMass
VT
Oberlin

WL:CMU, BU, BC

What are their other choices ? CWRU is great for premed -lots of opportunities at Cle clinic and university hospitals

Anonymous wrote:Kid's major is biology with a premed track. Does not speak Spanish.

No.

No experience with that program. Madrid is amazing: super safe, so much to do, cheap.

Kid's major is biology with a premed track. Does not speak Spanish.

To study what? If your kid intends to pursue a rigorous STEM major, I would certainly not advise doing first semester Freshman year somewhere else, least of all in a foreign country.

Kid received an offer to spend the Fall semester at CWRU in Madrid, before the Spring Semester at CWRU in Cleveland. The offer comes with merit scholarship for 8 semesters. All tuition and room & board pay to CWRU like usual, with the travel expenses to and from Madrid being the extra. Anyone has any experience in this?