#1 choice private school vs state school (not so cheap)

[RedSox143]

We never see where you have applied or where you have been waitlisted or rejected. We can see where our accepted students are holding acceptances in early Spring and later we can see where students we have waitlisted are holding acceptances.

Can you confirm that financial deals are made with some students holding multiple acceptances to incentive students to come to one school over the other if there's a financial difference in cost or aid?

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[RedSox143]

Looks to me like there is confusion on the cost of attending UMass vs cost of attending PLUS cost of living. If the total number is 65K then it's closer to 90-100K for other schools especially in areas where the cost of living (housing, food, etc) is high.

Bottom line is that you have very good problem.

Doesn't help that every time I check back the poll gets closer and closer to 50/50... uhg

 

[BeNiceOrLeave]

I was in a similar position 2 years ago with a tough decision to make. "Fit" is a strange phenomenon that can be hard to put a price on, and sometimes you just get a sense of where you know you're supposed to be. That's worth something - only you can decide if it is worth the extra $. Tulane is incredibly expensive, and incredibly involved in an incredible city. A majority of the students are paying the full sticker price, many with previous debt and without parental support. A lot of people would think they were crazy to come if they had a cheaper state option, but when a school and a city find their way into your marrow, what are you supposed to do? The choice is yours. Best.

 

[RedSox143]

I was in a similar position 2 years ago with a tough decision to make. "Fit" is a strange phenomenon that can be hard to put a price on, and sometimes you just get a sense of where you know you're supposed to be. That's worth something - only you can decide if it is worth the extra $. Tulane is incredibly expensive, and incredibly involved in an incredible city. A majority of the students are paying the full sticker price, many with previous debt and without parental support. A lot of people would think they were crazy to come if they had a cheaper state option, but when a school and a city find their way into your marrow, what are you supposed to do? The choice is yours. Best.

good advice, just wondering what you ended up doing?

 

[BeNiceOrLeave]

.

 

[SOMBound13]

Can you confirm that financial deals are made with some students holding multiple acceptances to incentive students to come to one school over the other if there's a financial difference in cost or aid?

March 15th is the date that AMCAS informs med schools that their acceptees are also holding other acceptances. All of my merit scholarship offers came after that date. I didn't have an amazing MCAT score, but I did have a 3.9/4.0 GPA. Maybe those that do have the MCAT 37+ get merit offers with their acceptances. My merit offers came after that March date. Therefore, I can only conclude that the knowledge that I was holding multiple acceptances was the motivation of those offers. As @gyngyn corrected, SOMs aren't told of other schools' merit offers, so I guess that means that once multiple acceptances are known, some will offer merit to protect yield.

 

[SOMBound13]

I live in the south. But grew up in another part of the country and went to school in yet another region. Politically and culturally, the South is rather different from New England. If you're assuming that pointing that out is anti-south, well -- those are your assumptions.

The same can be true when someone from the NE applies to Midwest schools, or when someone from the South applies to NE schools, or someone from the Midwest applies to West Coast schools. Unless you warn those applicants of the possible "political and cultural differences," then, yes, your post does suggest anti-South sentiment. If you're suggesting that's a baseless assumption, then I'll look at your past posts and see if you've offered such warnings to others.

 

[DokterMom]

The same can be true when someone from the NE applies to Midwest schools, or when someone from the South applies to NE schools, or someone from the Midwest applies to West Coast schools. Unless you warn those applicants of the possible "political and cultural differences," then, yes, your post does suggest anti-South sentiment. If you're suggesting that's a baseless assumption, then I'll look at your past posts and see if you've offered such warnings to others.

What the heck - I'm feeling reckless today.

OK - I'll flat out admit that I do believe the political climate and social support systems in much of the Southeast are not as good as those in New England. There is widespread poverty, vast disparities in education and opportunities for SES advancement, flagrant racism, and a degree of red-state political extremism that could easily make a liberals eyeballs bleed. However that's just my opinion. Which I tried to carefully couch in rather more neutral terms.

Flame away Internet!

 

[Gandyy]

What the heck - I'm feeling reckless today.

OK - I'll flat out admit that I do believe the political climate and social support systems in much of the Southeast are not as good as those in New England. There is widespread poverty, vast disparities in education and opportunities for SES advancement, flagrant racism, and a degree of red-state political extremism that could easily make a liberals eyeballs bleed. However that's just my opinion. Which I tried to carefully couch in rather more neutral terms.

Flame away Internet!

Many parts of the Midwest are not too far from this description either. Admittedly, the South is definitely worse.

 

[Goro]

I have seen posts by both LizzyM and gyngyn affirming this.

Can you confirm that financial deals are made with some students holding multiple acceptances to incentive students to come to one school over the other if there's a financial difference in cost or aid?

 

[efle]

Do school admissions not talk to one another about certain applicants though? Eg seems like before offering one of a limited number of scholarship spots they'd want to check around if the person already had not only other accepts, but other cheap options

 

[tkim]

UMass:

http://www.umassmed.edu/financialaid/currentstudents/tuition-and-fees-new-students/

$65,367 x 4 = $261, 468

If you participate in the Learning contract - subtract $5,568 x 4 = $22,272

$261,468 - $22,272 = $239,196

Tulane:

https://tulane.edu/financialaid/hsc/som/som-attendance-cost.cfm

$82,258 + $85,720 + $88,134 + $82,366 = $338,478

---

Cost difference: $338,478 - $261,468 = $77,010. If you fulfill the Learning contract, you reduce 2/3 tuition: $338,478 - $239,196 = $99,282

Repayment calculator:

http://www.finaid.org/calculators/loancomp.phtml

Loan Balance: $338,478.00 $261,468.00 $239,196.00
Loan Interest Rate:6.34
Loan Term:10 years
Monthly Loan Payment: $3,815.85 $2,947.67 $2,696.59
Number of Payments:120
Cumulative Payments: $457,902.23 $353,721.19 $323,590.80

Total Interest Paid: $119,424.23 $92,253.19 $84,394.80

Difference in interest: x $27, 171.23 $35,030.23

------
Difference interest + tuition $104,181.23 $134,312.23


http://investor.gov/tools/calculators/compound-interest-calculator

$104,181.23 initial deposit at age 45 after accumulating for ten years, retirement at age 65 @ 6% = $334,122.58
$134,312.23 initial deposit at age 45 after accumulating for ten years, retirement at age 65 @ 6% = $430,757.52


So, strictly by numbers, if you attend Tulane over UMass, you pay anywhere from $104,181.23 - $134,213.23 additionally, that had it been invested in a retirement fund for twenty years until the age of 65, you would have gained $334,122,58 - $430,757.52 for retirement.

I recall reading that you saved a lot for tuition, so these numbers may not apply to you, but the money you save in tuition, fees, interest NOW, make a huge difference later. Something that the majority of medical students don't think about when starting out.

People always say that you work a little more or longer to make up the difference between the cheap school and the "dream school". Unless the cheap school absolutely closes you off from the specialty that you THINK you want to do, and after rotations, many people change their minds, I advise you to always go for the cheaper option. Always.

 

[SOMBound13]

What the heck - I'm feeling reckless today.

OK - I'll flat out admit that I do believe the political climate and social support systems in much of the Southeast are not as good as those in New England. There is widespread poverty, vast disparities in education and opportunities for SES advancement, flagrant racism, and a degree of red-state political extremism that could easily make a liberals eyeballs bleed. However that's just my opinion. Which I tried to carefully couch in rather more neutral terms.

Flame away Internet!

Thank you for admitting that my assumptions about you were true, even though you first implied that they weren't. That's growth. Lifelong learning! It never ends. At some point, you'll learn that the rest of the country is also horribly racist as well. As a native Californian, I've seen that it's rampant there as well....ever hear the ugly phrase often mentioned about UC's? TMA? Blue states aren't immune from the ugliness of racism.

 

[SOMBound13]

Many parts of the Midwest are not too far from this description either. Admittedly, the South is definitely worse.

Ha! My father is from IL and when I'm visiting the area, I hear the most outrageously racist, anti-Black statements ever. The South is definitely not worse. This isn't a competition people. The whole country has a problem. It's not just a White/Black issue, which I think you all are focusing on. It's a Black/Hispanic, Black/Hispanic/Asian/White, it's MiddleEastern/everyone else, and so forth.

Anyway, we're off topic, so back to the subject at hand.

 

[gyngyn]

Can you confirm that financial deals are made with some students holding multiple acceptances to incentive students to come to one school over the other if there's a financial difference in cost or aid?

Recruitment scholarships are frequently offered in the Spring after the multiple accepts list is released. We are not notified of aid offers made by other schools.

 

[DokterMom]

Thank you for admitting that my assumptions about you were true, even though you first implied that they weren't. That's growth. Lifelong learning! It never ends. At some point, you'll learn that the rest of the country is also horribly racist as well. As a native Californian, I've seen that it's rampant there as well....ever hear the ugly phrase often mentioned about UC's? TMA? Blue states aren't immune from the ugliness of racism.

How about limiting it to your assumptions regarding my socio-political views on the Southeast -- I will admit to that. The rest is a bit too broad.

As a fellow native Californian, I can't say I've heard 'TMA', but will guess form your context (racism at UCs) that you're using it to mean "too many Asians"? (Should I assume then that you're prejudiced against Asians?) While the phrase is certainly racist, I'd speculate that it stems from the users' frustrations with increased academic competition and jealousy rather than an attitude that those of another race are inferior -- so a different animal entirely.

 

[SOMBound13]

Thank you for admitting that my assumptions about you were true, even though you first implied that they weren't. That's growth. Lifelong learning! It never ends. At some point, you'll learn that the rest of the country is also horribly racist as well. As a native Californian, I've seen that it's rampant there as well....ever hear the ugly phrase often mentioned about UC's? TMA? Blue states aren't immune from the ugliness of racism.

How about limiting it to your assumptions regarding my socio-political views on the Southeast -- I will admit to that. The rest is a bit too broad.

As a fellow native Californian, I can't say I've heard 'TMA', but will guess form your context (racism at UCs) that you're using it to mean "too many Asians"? (Should I assume then that you're prejudiced against Asians?) While the phrase is certainly racist, I'd speculate that it stems from the users' frustrations with increased academic competition and jealousy rather than an attitude that those of another race are inferior -- so a different animal entirely.

I guess you could assume that if YOU CAN'T READ.

 

[DokterMom]

I guess you could assume that if YOU CAN'T READ.

I don't assume that. But you assumed as much from my neutrally-worded observation that the Southeast and New England were very different socio-politically.

 

[SOMBound13]

I don't assume that. But you assumed as much from my neutrally-worded observation that the Southeast and New England were very different socio-politically.

I never assumed that. Please do not put words in my mouth.

Moving on....

 

[efle]

Thank you for admitting that my assumptions about you were true, even though you first implied that they weren't. That's growth. Lifelong learning! It never ends. At some point, you'll learn that the rest of the country is also horribly racist as well. As a native Californian, I've seen that it's rampant there as well....ever hear the ugly phrase often mentioned about UC's? TMA? Blue states aren't immune from the ugliness of racism.

Interesting choice of example, I can't really say I think the UCs show racism at all considering they are race blinded admissions via pop ballot and have been for a long time. Having lived in SoCal and St. Louis, yeah nowhere is free of racism (mostly towards Hispanic where I'm from) but there are some big differences in race relations in different places.

 

[bc65]

UMass:

http://www.umassmed.edu/financialaid/currentstudents/tuition-and-fees-new-students/

$65,367 x 4 = $261, 468

If you participate in the Learning contract - subtract $5,568 x 4 = $22,272

$261,468 - $22,272 = $239,196

Tulane:

https://tulane.edu/financialaid/hsc/som/som-attendance-cost.cfm

$82,258 + $85,720 + $88,134 + $82,366 = $338,478

---

Cost difference: $338,478 - $261,468 = $77,010. If you fulfill the Learning contract, you reduce 2/3 tuition: $338,478 - $239,196 = $99,282

Repayment calculator:

http://www.finaid.org/calculators/loancomp.phtml

Loan Balance: $338,478.00 $261,468.00 $239,196.00
Loan Interest Rate:6.34
Loan Term:10 years
Monthly Loan Payment: $3,815.85 $2,947.67 $2,696.59
Number of Payments:120
Cumulative Payments: $457,902.23 $353,721.19 $323,590.80

Total Interest Paid: $119,424.23 $92,253.19 $84,394.80

Difference in interest: x $27, 171.23 $35,030.23

------
Difference interest + tuition $104,181.23 $134,312.23


http://investor.gov/tools/calculators/compound-interest-calculator

$104,181.23 initial deposit at age 45 after accumulating for ten years, retirement at age 65 @ 6% = $334,122.58
$134,312.23 initial deposit at age 45 after accumulating for ten years, retirement at age 65 @ 6% = $430,757.52


So, strictly by numbers, if you attend Tulane over UMass, you pay anywhere from $104,181.23 - $134,213.23 additionally, that had it been invested in a retirement fund for twenty years until the age of 65, you would have gained $334,122,58 - $430,757.52 for retirement.

I recall reading that you saved a lot for tuition, so these numbers may not apply to you, but the money you save in tuition, fees, interest NOW, make a huge difference later. Something that the majority of medical students don't think about when starting out.

People always say that you work a little more or longer to make up the difference between the cheap school and the "dream school". Unless the cheap school absolutely closes you off from the specialty that you THINK you want to do, and after rotations, many people change their minds, I advise you to always go for the cheaper option. Always.

I'm very impressed with the calculations you did here. I agree that all else being equal, he'll end up with a lot more money for retirement if he goes to the cheaper school. Yes, I would recommend that everyone making financial decisions run the numbers, include the interest paid, and opportunity costs. However, I disagree with your recommendation. Minimizing expenses shouldn't be taken too far. You need to find a balance, and I think that spending $100-200k for one's dream school would be perfectly reasonable if they'll be happier there for 4 years and consequently may even do better in school.

You don't need to live an ascetic lifestyle just to maximize your retirement account. If someone really wants to go to Starbucks every day, even if it's costing them $5 or $10, they can do it. It's ok to eat out sometimes, and it's ok to go to the movies, and it's ok to go on vacation.

You can do a lot of things "wrong" with your money and still do well, so long as you do lots of other things right. Most physicians will be able to afford (almost) anything they want, but they won't be able to have everything they want.

OP will do fine. He's already saved a lot, and he's carefully considering his tuition costs. I expect that he'll continue to make careful financial decisions his whole life, and if he really wants to go to New Orleans, he should go.

That said, I hate Starbucks, and I would pay a lot more in tuition to NOT have to live in New Orleans. But there's no accounting for taste.

OP: make sure that you would really like to live there all year round. Make sure that you can tolerate the hot summers. Be sure that you won't conclude later that it's more fun to visit than to live there.

 

[Nietzschelover]

I never assumed that. Please do not put words in my mouth.

Moving on....

Why are you going after one of the classiest and most helpful posters (by far) on the whole site? You decided you wanted to stick it to her, and now it's hard to remember what your actual point is. And then when someone makes the mistake (giving you the benefit of the doubt) of correcting your perception/misinterpretation, you only use that to insist your instinct was right all along. SHE should be the one using the head against the wall emoticon! I'm from the South as well (born and raised) and now live in New England. Do you really want to argue that there aren't significant socio-political differences between Massachusetts and Louisiana? That has nothing to do with the obvious fact that racism is a serious problem everywhere.

As for the actual topic, Tulane sounds like a really cool place to go to school and certainly understandable for anyone looking for something different and a change of pace. If someone loves the school and really wants to go there and can swing the money difference what is there to debate? The stumbling block in the thread otherwise is that we aren't talking about UMass vs a Duke or Vandy or Emory in the South. We're talking about schools very much on the same level and perhaps where some might even nod the edge to UMass.

 

[Slave to the Game]

Why are you going after one of the classiest and most helpful posters (by far) on the whole site? You decided you wanted to stick it to her, and now it's hard to remember what your actual point is. And then when someone makes the mistake (giving you the benefit of the doubt) of correcting your perception/misinterpretation, you only use that to insist your instinct was right all along. SHE should be the one using the head against the wall emoticon! I'm from the South as well (born and raised) and now live in New England. Do you really want to argue that there aren't significant socio-political differences between Massachusetts and Louisiana? That has nothing to do with the obvious fact that racism is a serious problem everywhere.

I'm guessing SOM is a child who's experiencing some anti-south bullying at their school. Who knows why idiots do things, I just tend to ignore them.

 

[RedSox143]

UMass:

http://www.umassmed.edu/financialaid/currentstudents/tuition-and-fees-new-students/

$65,367 x 4 = $261, 468

If you participate in the Learning contract - subtract $5,568 x 4 = $22,272

$261,468 - $22,272 = $239,196

Tulane:

https://tulane.edu/financialaid/hsc/som/som-attendance-cost.cfm

$82,258 + $85,720 + $88,134 + $82,366 = $338,478

---

Cost difference: $338,478 - $261,468 = $77,010. If you fulfill the Learning contract, you reduce 2/3 tuition: $338,478 - $239,196 = $99,282

Repayment calculator:

http://www.finaid.org/calculators/loancomp.phtml

Loan Balance: $338,478.00 $261,468.00 $239,196.00
Loan Interest Rate:6.34
Loan Term:10 years
Monthly Loan Payment: $3,815.85 $2,947.67 $2,696.59
Number of Payments:120
Cumulative Payments: $457,902.23 $353,721.19 $323,590.80

Total Interest Paid: $119,424.23 $92,253.19 $84,394.80

Difference in interest: x $27, 171.23 $35,030.23

------
Difference interest + tuition $104,181.23 $134,312.23


http://investor.gov/tools/calculators/compound-interest-calculator

$104,181.23 initial deposit at age 45 after accumulating for ten years, retirement at age 65 @ 6% = $334,122.58
$134,312.23 initial deposit at age 45 after accumulating for ten years, retirement at age 65 @ 6% = $430,757.52


So, strictly by numbers, if you attend Tulane over UMass, you pay anywhere from $104,181.23 - $134,213.23 additionally, that had it been invested in a retirement fund for twenty years until the age of 65, you would have gained $334,122,58 - $430,757.52 for retirement.

I recall reading that you saved a lot for tuition, so these numbers may not apply to you, but the money you save in tuition, fees, interest NOW, make a huge difference later. Something that the majority of medical students don't think about when starting out.

People always say that you work a little more or longer to make up the difference between the cheap school and the "dream school". Unless the cheap school absolutely closes you off from the specialty that you THINK you want to do, and after rotations, many people change their minds, I advise you to always go for the cheaper option. Always.

Without a doubt the most helpful post ever. ever. thank you. I'm of the same school of thought as for undergrad I chose a state school over a big name private school in Boston, which was a great decision because I'm in the same place with no debt and even a decent amount of savings HOWEVER I feel the cost difference is decent here but it's not enough to make an automatic decision. Logic tells me that if all parameters are equal in the big categories like match lists, student body, teaching hospitals curriculum, everything than obvs the best value is the cheaper option. But there must be something that accounts for quality of life, happiness and overall "fit", i just cant put a price value on it. maybe it's like a metaphorical rebate that you get back for your extra cash on being happy Idk if i can justify it though.

 

[Nietzschelover]

Without a doubt the most helpful post ever. ever. thank you. I'm of the same school of thought as for undergrad I chose a state school over a big name private school in Boston, which was a great decision because I'm in the same place with no debt and even a decent amount of savings HOWEVER I feel the cost difference is decent here but it's not enough to make an automatic decision. Logic tells me that if all parameters are equal in the big categories like match lists, student body, teaching hospitals curriculum, everything than obvs the best value is the cheaper option. But there must be something that accounts for quality of life, happiness and overall "fit", i just cant put a price value on it. maybe it's like a metaphorical rebate that you get back for your extra cash on being happy Idk if i can justify it though.

Maybe you want Tulane to be the better "fit" for whatever reason and it's just not. Is that possible? If you definitely know it is the better fit and you really and truly want to go there (and aren't just in love with the idea of going there), go there. There's not a bad choice here. As I suggested before, a great problem to have and one many on this site would love to have.

 

[tkim]

Without a doubt the most helpful post ever. ever. thank you. I'm of the same school of thought as for undergrad I chose a state school over a big name private school in Boston, which was a great decision because I'm in the same place with no debt and even a decent amount of savings HOWEVER I feel the cost difference is decent here but it's not enough to make an automatic decision. Logic tells me that if all parameters are equal in the big categories like match lists, student body, teaching hospitals curriculum, everything than obvs the best value is the cheaper option. But there must be something that accounts for quality of life, happiness and overall "fit", i just cant put a price value on it. maybe it's like a metaphorical rebate that you get back for your extra cash on being happy Idk if i can justify it though.

Everyone's tipping point of "happiness" versus extra cost is different. Sure. I'm laying it all out in numbers only.

I went to med school, moving cross-country, married, with kids, to a school that was more expensive than another school that I was accepted to, and the cost difference is roughly similar to yours as well. I didn't really care where I went to school, as the academics seemed to be equal, and I wasn't going to see the light of day for four years anyway, but the living situation looked nicer for my family at the west coast school, so we picked the more expensive school. I didn't run the numbers, and like you, even if I had, I most likely would have made the same decision.

Ironically, I had a residency classmate who went to the other school I was accepted to. He was single, and after graduation, worked like a dog and is now debt-free, getting married and is making bank.

Two different situations, in many ways, but the ability to rapidly pay off your loans is huge and at times I think my happiness index would be higher if I had less debt, and anticipated an additional $300-400K for retirement, or the ability to retire earlier, or work less and have more time to spend with my family.

Bear in mind that if you choose a primary care field, repaying those loans might be hard regardless of where you go, but easier to manage with less loan debt.

Also bear in mind that your specialty choice and what region of the country you're looking at for residency will also play a part in where you go to school, as audition rotations, interview travel, moving costs, will also play a part in the finances.

My costs traveling back and forth from the west coast to the east coast during residency interviews racked up. Something to think about as well.

I read that you don't like Worcester. I can appreciate that. There's a chance you only need to be there for the first two years for basic sciences, and you can do your clinical rotations in Springfield:

http://www.umassmed.edu/news/news-a...d-campus-in-partnership-with-baystate-health/

 

[DokterMom]

Without a doubt the most helpful post ever. ever. thank you. I'm of the same school of thought as for undergrad I chose a state school over a big name private school in Boston, which was a great decision because I'm in the same place with no debt and even a decent amount of savings HOWEVER I feel the cost difference is decent here but it's not enough to make an automatic decision. Logic tells me that if all parameters are equal in the big categories like match lists, student body, teaching hospitals curriculum, everything than obvs the best value is the cheaper option. But there must be something that accounts for quality of life, happiness and overall "fit", i just cant put a price value on it. maybe it's like a metaphorical rebate that you get back for your extra cash on being happy Idk if i can justify it though.

Well said -- And I think there IS a monetary value you can put on quality of life, happiness and a better fit. Thanks to @tkim 's excellent analysis, you now know what the monetary difference will be -- though (hint) I wish he had taken it a step further and given you monthly loan payments, as those are a bit easier to mentally wrestle with. (Though still difficult to juggle the relative burden of a hypothetical future $,2,000/month loan payment on a future income of $250,000 when you're living on a current salary of ~$50,000.)

 

[tkim]

I wish he had taken it a step further and given you monthly loan payments, as those are a bit easier to mentally wrestle with.

They are there, in the middle of the page, on the line that says "Monthly loan payments" in bold.

 

[Nietzschelover]

Everyone's tipping point of "happiness" versus extra cost is different. Sure. I'm laying it all out in numbers only.

I read that you don't like Worcester. I can appreciate that. There's a chance you only need to be there for the first two years for basic sciences, and you can do your clinical rotations in Springfield:

http://www.umassmed.edu/news/news-a...d-campus-in-partnership-with-baystate-health/

Given the overall tenor of your post it's obvious you aren't joking, but I don't know how many folks would pick Springfield over Worcester. Worcester certainly isn't the Caribbean (or New Orleans) but it is a big college town, a bit over-maligned and not without some good restaurants, things to do and of course UMass Med, and less than an hour to Boston and within 2-4 hours of VT, NH, NYC, etc, etc......which clearly isn't news to RedSox143.

 

[tkim]

Given the overall tenor of your post it's obvious you aren't joking, but I don't know how many folks would pick Springfield over Worcester. Worcester certainly isn't the Caribbean (or New Orleans) but it is a big college town, a bit over-maligned and not without some good restaurants, things to do and of course UMass Med, and less than an hour to Boston and within 2-4 hours of VT, NH, NYC, etc, etc......which clearly isn't news to RedSox143.

I wasn't clear in my post. I meant that if he does his training in Springfield, a lot of the surrounding areas are pretty nice. Like the Amherst and Northampton areas which are 20 minutes away, and home to the Five College Consortium (Amherst, Mt. Holyoke, UMass Amherst, Smith, Hampshire). VT is an hour north, NYC is 3-4 hours by car.

I'm not as familiar with the Worcester area, but I recall Shewsbury and Auburn being nice, but I don't think they have the large, young college population that that area has.

I don't think you'd miss out on pathology or training, as both teaching hospitals are level trauma centers, and are the tertiary centers for their areas, which roughly equivalent beds ~700.

 

[Nietzschelover]

I wasn't clear in my post. I meant that if he does his training in Springfield, a lot of the surrounding areas are pretty nice. Like the Amherst and Northampton areas which are 20 minutes away, and home to the Five College Consortium (Amherst, Mt. Holyoke, UMass Amherst, Smith, Hampshire). VT is an hour north, NYC is 3-4 hours by car.

I'm not as familiar with the Worcester area, but I recall Shewsbury and Auburn being nice, but I don't think they have the large, young college population that that area has.

I don't think you'd miss out on pathology or training, as both teaching hospitals are level trauma centers, and are the tertiary centers for their areas, which roughly equivalent beds ~700.

OK, I see what you meant. Amherst and Northampton are really nice and that area is convenient to VT, NYC, etc in a similar way to Worcester. Worcester isn't the college town that Amherst is, but there is Holy Cross, WPI, Clark, etc and the UMass Med culture with a major presence in the area.

 

[tkim]

OK, I see what you meant. Amherst and Northampton are really nice and that area is convenient to VT, NYC, etc in a similar way to Worcester. Worcester isn't the college town that Amherst is, but there is Holy Cross, WPI, Clark, etc and the UMass Med culture with a major presence in the area.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2...ollege-town/9cVIYCTJoMhn9NythiU69L/story.html

 

[ZedsDed]

Thank you for admitting that my assumptions about you were true, even though you first implied that they weren't. That's growth. Lifelong learning! It never ends. At some point, you'll learn that the rest of the country is also horribly racist as well. As a native Californian, I've seen that it's rampant there as well....ever hear the ugly phrase often mentioned about UC's? TMA? Blue states aren't immune from the ugliness of racism.

It is a silly conservative fantasy that racism exists equally in all areas against all races. Yes, UCI is often colloquially known as the "University of Chinese Immigrants." Yes, spoiled white kids from OC often exclaim "TMA bruh" in classes with high average scores. So what? It's somewhat distasteful, but hardly "horribly racist" on the level of Ferguson.

 

[meowfish6868]

Without a doubt the most helpful post ever. ever. thank you. I'm of the same school of thought as for undergrad I chose a state school over a big name private school in Boston, which was a great decision because I'm in the same place with no debt and even a decent amount of savings HOWEVER I feel the cost difference is decent here but it's not enough to make an automatic decision. Logic tells me that if all parameters are equal in the big categories like match lists, student body, teaching hospitals curriculum, everything than obvs the best value is the cheaper option. But there must be something that accounts for quality of life, happiness and overall "fit", i just cant put a price value on it. maybe it's like a metaphorical rebate that you get back for your extra cash on being happy Idk if i can justify it though.

Although I'd vouch for choosing the cheaper option, you'd probably be better off waiting until you get your financial aid packages from both schools in the spring. In the meantime, you can try and figure out which deciding factor is more important to you.

I had to make a similar choice last year and was dead set on leaving my hometown at the start of the application cycle and toward the end of it I was torn between MCW and my state school. I ended up choosing my state school mostly because its tuition alone is $39k cheaper per year and my hometown has a very low COL. Having been in school for a few months, I'm 100% confident that I made the right decision, as I would have been miserable without having my friends and family nearby, in addition to the financial constraints I would have (not being able to travel home for vacation, etc). Although my school isn't a top 20, I don't think it's going to hold me back from getting into a residency/specialty that I desire.

I put a lot more value on cost because I'm extremely debt aversive and feel like the extra debt would have greatly dampened my happiness. I also never got the absolute "fit" feeling at any of the places I interviewed at, so my decision was a little bit easier than the one you are facing. This is a really personal decision and other people's input can only help so much; figuring out what you value most will make deciding so much easier.

 

[RedSox143]

Everyone's tipping point of "happiness" versus extra cost is different. Sure. I'm laying it all out in numbers only.

I went to med school, moving cross-country, married, with kids, to a school that was more expensive than another school that I was accepted to, and the cost difference is roughly similar to yours as well. I didn't really care where I went to school, as the academics seemed to be equal, and I wasn't going to see the light of day for four years anyway, but the living situation looked nicer for my family at the west coast school, so we picked the more expensive school. I didn't run the numbers, and like you, even if I had, I most likely would have made the same decision.

Ironically, I had a residency classmate who went to the other school I was accepted to. He was single, and after graduation, worked like a dog and is now debt-free, getting married and is making bank.

Two different situations, in many ways, but the ability to rapidly pay off your loans is huge and at times I think my happiness index would be higher if I had less debt, and anticipated an additional $300-400K for retirement, or the ability to retire earlier, or work less and have more time to spend with my family.

Bear in mind that if you choose a primary care field, repaying those loans might be hard regardless of where you go, but easier to manage with less loan debt.

Also bear in mind that your specialty choice and what region of the country you're looking at for residency will also play a part in where you go to school, as audition rotations, interview travel, moving costs, will also play a part in the finances.

My costs traveling back and forth from the west coast to the east coast during residency interviews racked up. Something to think about as well.

I read that you don't like Worcester. I can appreciate that. There's a chance you only need to be there for the first two years for basic sciences, and you can do your clinical rotations in Springfield:

http://www.umassmed.edu/news/news-a...d-campus-in-partnership-with-baystate-health/

OK, I see what you meant. Amherst and Northampton are really nice and that area is convenient to VT, NYC, etc in a similar way to Worcester. Worcester isn't the college town that Amherst is, but there is Holy Cross, WPI, Clark, etc and the UMass Med culture with a major presence in the area.

Great insight!!

Worcester in the end doesn't stack up to New Orleans as far as life outside of school, which is very important to me and I feel it's important to making well-rounded balanced physicians rather than robots, most of the students I know at any medical school seem to be happy but Tulane's students were really happy, definitely made an impression on me. Worcester is fine though, plenty of schools I don't doubt its still fun but Tulanes just more fun and nothing in New England hold convenient hours, esp bars haha. As for traveling between Worcester, Boston, Springfield, NYC, it's just way way easier said than done, being from the immediate Boston area, the traffic is horrible, the public transportation worse and the parking equally bad, Mass doesn't make it easy to travel and NYC is quite far. When it comes to New England it's best to stay in the city your in and travel to others sparingly. There is value in being able to go to Boston occatioannlly for lectures, conferences, etc. but thats not a big deal.

Another thing I'm concerned about is I've been working at the yuppy partners hospitals for years now, with largely rich wealthy populations from Boston, clinical sights for Tulane and UMass arent even close to the same thing as those hospitals so no matter what hospital I go to it's going to be quite an adjustment. I'm fully aware of that. Both teachign hospitals are perceived in similar ways as far as Tulane hospitals vs UMass hospitals, Tulane does have a brand new hospital though!