Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So many armchair experts here....the ones saying Princeton for pre-med are clueless.

Going to an Ivy for undergrad with such harsh grading and grinder culture in STEM is not going to serve well for going to medical school. It is better to pick a place where you can get the highest grades possible and stand out in your pool. Williams is the logical choice here for pre-med.

I’m fascinated by all these people who think you should shy away from a tough undergrad if you want to go to med school. If you’re afraid of hard work then medicine really isn’t for you.

The idea that med schools won’t know what Princeton is - lol wtf?

The idea that you’re going to be a “big fish in a small pond” at WILLIAMS where all the other kids are also high achievers - lol wtf?

The level of hard work required to get a med-school-competitive GPA at Princeton is at least as hard as the level required to press the spacebar for four to eight hours a day. Nothing wrong with wanting an easier path to the same end and turning down a needlessly hard one. Med schools do know what Princeton is, but most will not give a GPA boost off of the name.

The idea that Princeton is a no brainer reflects profound ignorance and a lack of critical thinking skills. Princeton may be part of the HYP contingent, but attending one of these three schools in no way guarantees what many perceive as a pathway to success, let alone a purposeful life: there is no meaningful difference between Princeton and Williams in terms of the educational quality and opportunities that both schools offer, and anyone fortunate enough to be admitted to both schools should, if financially able to do so, do campus visits at both schools and make a choice based upon fit. Frankly, the climate of mental health at Princeton right now is such that anyone considering matriculation there should think hard and be honest with themselves as to whether they're likely to thrive in such an environment.

This is tough. I went to Princeton and picked it over Amherst and Barnard. I don’t recommend Princeton for premed though people do it. I personally wouldn’t have been able to do it- luckily I wasn’t premed anyway so I just graduated with a liberal arts major. Later I decided to go to medical school and did my coursework elsewhere. This actually worked out very very well for me since I had the best of both worlds (Princeton degree with high GPA). Some of my friends struggled for years to get into med school due to low GPA. But - some people were able to get into med school just fine so it depends on your background and strengths I suppose.

Princeton has KNOWN grade deflation. This contributes to their grinder culture and unhappiness among the students.

Needing to keep a high GPA for med school entry nowadays is IMPERATIVE and totally agree that Williams might be the better option. This does not mean one is lazy or wants the easy path. It’s just reality of med school admissions. Worse today but still true back in my day. Cultivating close relationships with professors and mentors for letters of rec would also be easier at Williams than Princeton.

Signed, A Physician

Anonymous wrote:So many armchair experts here....the ones saying Princeton for pre-med are clueless.

Going to an Ivy for undergrad with such harsh grading and grinder culture in STEM is not going to serve well for going to medical school. It is better to pick a place where you can get the highest grades possible and stand out in your pool. Williams is the logical choice here for pre-med.

I’m fascinated by all these people who think you should shy away from a tough undergrad if you want to go to med school. If you’re afraid of hard work then medicine really isn’t for you.

The idea that med schools won’t know what Princeton is - lol wtf?

The idea that you’re going to be a “big fish in a small pond” at WILLIAMS where all the other kids are also high achievers - lol wtf?

So many armchair experts here....the ones saying Princeton for pre-med are clueless.

Going to an Ivy for undergrad with such harsh grading and grinder culture in STEM is not going to serve well for going to medical school. It is better to pick a place where you can get the highest grades possible and stand out in your pool. Williams is the logical choice here for pre-med.

Anonymous wrote:Never heard of Williams.

That says more about you than it says about Williams.

Never heard of Williams.

Nothing is more off putting than the Princeton proponent who keeps insisting “it opens more doors.” To many, these two schools are equally prestigious. People live in the real world, it the pages of US News.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Williams career network is amazing if your kid ends up going into banking/consulting (a lot of former premeds in those fields!). I would lean towards Williams of your kid will fit in there. I think it will be harder to get into ked school from Princeton.

If you’re looking for a career on Wall Street or in IB, Princeton will set you up better than Williams. Bigger school = bigger alumni network.

I posted about graduating from Williams and going into IB. I have to disagree and say I think William’s would serve you better. I worked for years at one of the top banks. On average we would hire about 4 new analysts annually from each top school. Solely based on class size, your odds were much better from a williams or middlebury than a Princeton.

Sounds anecdotal to a fault. A Princeton degree opens more doors than one from Williams.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Even if it means a slightly less prestigious medical school, it’s worth it.

I watched high school valedictorians with 1550+ SATs completely burn out of premed at Princeton or end up going to really low tier med schools. A doctor from Podunk U med school is a Podunk U doctor (not a “Princeton man/woman”).

That said, premed is still doable if you’re smart enough to take an “easy major”. The students I saw crash and burn did hardcore STEM(chemistry, biology etc.). Also if your kid eventually wants IB/PE/HF and know how to fit in with the country club crowd Princeton can be a gateway to absolutely mind-blowing wealth(I’m talking seven figure incomes before 30).

In general people pay more attention to undergraduate degrees than where people attended med school. It’s understood there are a limited number of slots in medical school and as long you get into an accredited school it’s admired.

So, yes, a Princeton man or woman is always a Princeton man or woman.

Omg ! Not at all. I see where my doctor went to medical school for FFS—-you know the many years after undergrad that are the most important. And residency to boot.

I like a Hopkins or Yale or Harvard med. I could give a rat’s a$$ where they went undergrad if they ended up at a questionable or shitty med school…or Caribbean one. Lol

Princeton opens doors that Williams does not, and as pretty as Williams is Princeton’s campus is both gorgeous and far more accessible than remote Williamstown. It’s great to have these choices but it should be an easy call.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Williams career network is amazing if your kid ends up going into banking/consulting (a lot of former premeds in those fields!). I would lean towards Williams of your kid will fit in there. I think it will be harder to get into ked school from Princeton.

If you’re looking for a career on Wall Street or in IB, Princeton will set you up better than Williams. Bigger school = bigger alumni network.

I posted about graduating from Williams and going into IB. I have to disagree and say I think William’s would serve you better. I worked for years at one of the top banks. On average we would hire about 4 new analysts annually from each top school. Solely based on class size, your odds were much better from a williams or middlebury than a Princeton.

I think pre-med with an interest in classical music will be better served by Williams.

Ridiculous question. Princeton for sure. Most people outside the NE have never heard of Williams. Your question would have made more sense if you asked State U. vs. Princeton. In that case, some people are forced to pick State U. since that is all they can afford.