Help Me Decide: USC vs. Harvard

[modernnarwhal24]

I know these two might not seem like they compete but when I went to USC I immediately fell in love with it. At Harvard I did not get that same feeling, but I will be going to Revisit to see what I feel this time around. Being at USC would give me the perk of staying in my home state and near my family and friends, and most importantly my SO. Going to Harvard would mean leaving everyone that is important in my life across the country. I plan to settle down in CA, and would prefer a residency that is in CA. Any input?

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[howlol]

Honestly it sounds like you want to go to USC but just feel apprehensive towards the notion of turning down Harvard (which totally makes sense, I’m trying to make a very similar decision). Objectively it seems like your current situation and goals all point towards USC so I would try to muster up the courage to withdraw from Harvard if the second look doesn’t make a drastic difference

 

[Quantal Reasoning]

USC no question. Incredibly strong reputation in California, having your SO near you, family, support system. It's a no-brainer, but the name is clouding your view of that.

 

[dodolol21]

unless your SO is willing to move with you, I would go to USC and try to get them to give you $$$

 

[Phoebus Apollo]

What do you think made you fall in love with USC so much?

 

[puahate]

If you have no aid i'd heavily consider Harvard before you choose.

 

[LadyGlen]

I am having the same dilemma, except it is USC vs UCSF for me. Turning down UCSF is really (really) hard, but my entire support system is in SoCal.
What is the cost difference between the two?

 

[modernnarwhal24]

I am having the same dilemma, except it is USC vs UCSF for me. Turning down UCSF is really (really) hard, but my entire support system is in SoCal.
What is the cost difference between the two?

I'm still waiting on financial aid packages from the two so I'm not sure how much I'd be receiving at them!

 

[modernnarwhal24]

unless your SO is willing to move with you, I would go to USC and try to get them to give you $$$

Do you know if USC is responsive to trying to negotiate aid?

 

[Black_Wall_Street]

You should seriously consider going to Harvard. That is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

 

[modernnarwhal24]

What do you think made you fall in love with USC so much?

Seems cliche but the minute I stepped on the campus it felt so comfortable. The Dean was incredible and all the students had such a great relationship with her. I felt like I would fit in better with students at Keck more than at Harvard also. I also really loved the connection to LAC for Keck and how emphasized working with underserved communities was.

 

[Phoebus Apollo]

Seems cliche but the minute I stepped on the campus it felt so comfortable. The Dean was incredible and all the students had such a great relationship with her. I felt like I would fit in better with students at Keck more than at Harvard also. I also really loved the connection to LAC for Keck and how emphasized working with underserved communities was.

And by your original post I’m assuming you love LA. Fighting traffic to school everyday wouldn’t make your brain explode? (That is honestly my biggest concern with USC)

 

[Phoebus Apollo]

I would agree for some other fields, but medicine isn’t super dependent on school in terms of outcome. Certainly helps, but it’s not law/business/consulting. If OP is smart enough to get into Harvard, I honestly believe she’d be as successful at USC, with maybe less access to research or mentors. However, her entire support system is in California, and uprooting to move to the other coast may not be worth it.

The icing on the cake would be if USC gave her a good amount of money, then for me it’d be a no brainer.

USC seems pretty stingy with their aid.
But i agree that it can’t hurt to ask and try to leverage Harvard.

 

[modernnarwhal24]

And by your original post I’m assuming you love LA. Fighting traffic to school everyday wouldn’t make your brain explode? (That is honestly my biggest concern with USC)

Lol I don't love traffic but I do love CA! Plus I'm just used to traffic at this point having been around it for so long

 

[Lucca]

I’d say go to revisit and reconsider this decision when you have fin-aid in hand. Let us say that all ends up being equal, if you still don’t like HMS when you revisit but your love for USC is reaffirmed then go to USC. It’s important to be happy and if you feel you can accomplish your goals at USC then being happy will help you be successful.

 

[DokterMom]

USC no question. Incredibly strong reputation in California, having your SO near you, family, support system. It's a no-brainer, but the name is clouding your view of that.

That's what you were hoping to hear, right?

That said, I agree with @Lucca Your support system is one thing, but unless your SO is "the one" (and you're both in agreement on that), then turning down an opportunity like HMS for a non-permanent SO would be a mistake.

 

[puahate]

I want to comment again saying that unless you leverage this with USC to get aid please seriously consider Harvard. You may very well break up with this person. Yes you will be away from your family but you will easily match back to cali.

Please please please use this to either get more money from USC (you should receive signifacntly more money) if you have to go to USC.

 

[modernnarwhal24]

Update for everyone--

I emailed financial aid regarding my situation and USC is offering me a full tuition scholarship and Harvard is offering me the REACH scholarship which might also cover full tuition.

 

[puahate]

Jesus, what does "might" mean?

 

[allantois]

Hasn't USC been ridden with scandals lately?

 

[modernnarwhal24]

Jesus, what does "might" mean?

I believe the way the scholarship works is that it covers whatever your EFC does not cover, and my EFC is not very high. I have to wait until April for a full amount though.

 

[modernnarwhal24]

Hasn't USC been ridden with scandals lately?

Really? Such as what?

 

[allantois]

Really? Such as what?

Former USC medical school dean used hard drugs while employed at university, attorney says

USC Reaches $215M Settlement in Class Action Arising from Ob-Gyn Sexual Abuse Allegations | Los Angeles Business Journal

Sadly, it’s no surprise that USC was at the center of the college admissions scandal

 

[puahate]

I believe the way the scholarship works is that it covers whatever your EFC does not cover, and my EFC is not very high. I have to wait until April for a full amount though.

This makes everything back to square one. I mean, ill be honest and say go to second look. Be really sure you feel out both schools.

 

[Phoebus Apollo]

Wow holy moly did you just find that out re: scholarships?

Okay best plan is to go to 2nd looks and ask the students and faculty and admins tough questions that you really care about

 

[modernnarwhal24]

Wow holy moly did you just find that out re: scholarships?

Okay best plan is to go to 2nd looks and ask the students and faculty and admins tough questions that you really care about

Find what out??

 

[Phoebus Apollo]

REACH and full tuition at USC.
Did you just find that out today?

 

[modernnarwhal24]

REACH and full tuition at USC.
Did you just find that out today?

REACH i found out when I was admitted to Harvard and full tuition for USC just today.

 

[Phoebus Apollo]

Well awesome. Looking forward to hearing what you think after second look!

I didn’t interview at Harvard but I’ve heard that their interview is ~notoriously off putting~ (as opposed to USC where the admissions dean is incredibly welcoming). I’d bet you could get a much more accurate perspecive as an admitted student at Harvard than as an interviewee.

 

[Black_Wall_Street]

Well awesome. Looking forward to hearing what you think after second look!

I didn’t interview at Harvard but I’ve heard that their interview is ~notoriously off putting~ (as opposed to USC where the admissions dean is incredibly welcoming). I’d bet you could get a much more accurate perspecive as an admitted student at Harvard than as an interviewee.

Second this. I heard their second look is much more impressive. I' think you will be quite surprised by how it turns out.

 

[deleted915325]

Did many of the students at Harvard seem depressed or was that just my impression?

 

[modernnarwhal24]

Well awesome. Looking forward to hearing what you think after second look!

I didn’t interview at Harvard but I’ve heard that their interview is ~notoriously off putting~ (as opposed to USC where the admissions dean is incredibly welcoming). I’d bet you could get a much more accurate perspecive as an admitted student at Harvard than as an interviewee.

Second this. I heard their second look is much more impressive. I' think you will be quite surprised by how it turns out.

I'm glad I'm going to their revisit then! I think for now that is probably the best route before I make a decision

 

[lalalallala]

I think you should do what you want, which sounds like USC. Your support system is near USC, you love USC, you can get a good residency from USC, you got a full tuition scholarship there. If you want to go there then go. Certainly Harvard is an impressive place, but you don't need to go just because it is Harvard. You will be successful because of who you are.

 

[differentiating]

Former USC medical school dean used hard drugs while employed at university, attorney says

USC Reaches $215M Settlement in Class Action Arising from Ob-Gyn Sexual Abuse Allegations | Los Angeles Business Journal

Sadly, it’s no surprise that USC was at the center of the college admissions scandal

Of note, 2/3 of these scandals are related to their undergraduate division, not Keck. And the last one involved a number of universities, not just USC. I wouldn’t let this be a reason for choosing/not choosing a school.

I personally think OP’d be fine choosing Keck over Harvard if they want to match in California ultimately. HMS may look better in general, but the people I know at Keck were very happy with the residencies they matched to all the same. But we’ll see how they feel after second looks.

 

[dodolol21]

Update for everyone--

I emailed financial aid regarding my situation and USC is offering me a full tuition scholarship and Harvard is offering me the REACH scholarship which might also cover full tuition.

Yayyyy gotta love it when leveraging works out!

 

[rball]

It seems you really want to go to USC and really didnt like harvard, if that is the case and you think you will be much happier at usc, go there. It is a great school, you will become a doctor, and likely be able to practice in CA.

That being said, Harvard will give you a tremendous advantage throughout the rest of your career. It will make it much easier to match into a top program in the field of your choice, to land a fellowship after that, and a job after that. Yes pedigree is extremely important in medicine in opening up future career options. USC in particular is known for tough grading on clinical rotations and a very rigorous experience - it is a fantastic place to train, but you really need to be the cream of the crop/exceptional there to have similar options as you would have if you just did fairly well at harvard.

I would go to second look and if you still dont like harvard and are still in love with usc and feel you’d have regrets turning it down, go there. Med student performance is the most important factor when you’re thinking about top schools like these. Plus its important to be happy for the next 4 years. But if you find that you like harvard almost as much and would not have any regrets turning down usc, go to harvard.

 

[dodolol21]

Omg gurl chill. Every single thread you come in and spout off about pedigree but it is ultimately vanity. I saw this in a Reddit thread a few days ago, but go onto the faculty page at MGH Ortho and look at where the Professors of Ortho Surg at Harvard got their MD. A solid solid number of them came from mid tier schools, with actually very few coming from T5s. Her career is not going to be limited by going to USC, considering how many physicians don’t go to Harvard and do just fine.

RIP, I just tried this for my specialty of interest and every single one of the faculty was from a T10 mostly T5

 

[Lucca]

I didn’t like my Harvard interview either. They don’t try very hard. People say second look is way different. If you still like USC better after that, we’ll full tuition at both places makes them equivalent financial decisions so go with your heart unless your dream is to be faculty at HMS someday and even then making the decision solely based on that is suspect. HMS might be chiller overall with the no AOA and true PF everything thing.

 

[rball]

Omg gurl chill. Every single thread you come in and spout off about pedigree but it is ultimately vanity. I saw this in a Reddit thread a few days ago, but go onto the faculty page at MGH Ortho and look at where the Professors of Ortho Surg at Harvard got their MD. A solid solid number of them came from mid tier schools, with actually very few coming from T5s. Her career is not going to be limited by going to USC, considering how many physicians don’t go to Harvard and do just fine.

You have no idea what you’re talking about... not a clue. The fact that you use a reddit thread to form your opinions and base it off of one specialty at one institution without additional context is evidence enough.

Im a resident who’s gone through the process, talked to faculty and private practice docs from several real life practices, and am friends with residents who are involved with the selection process at my instutiton and a few others. I’ve also had mentors from my field of interest who provide me with advice on this sort of stuff. I signed up for this website to provide advice that I wish I had known.

Ive seen you post incessantly about the greatness of NYU and worship the usnwr rankings like no other, and constantly give people horrid horrid advice to trust those magazine rankings. Ive never felt the need to call you out on that, because I just like to give my opinion and don’t like to make things personal. The reason that I say pedigree matters on so many threads is because there are a few misinformed posters like you who lead premed students in the wrong direction by ignoring this factor and acting like it doesn't exist. But in the real world it is an important factor and is not just “vanity.”

Also just to be clear-op’s career will not be limited by going to usc; i never said that at all. I said if she prefers USC she should go there. I also said that she will need to perform a lot better there to have the same outcomes as she would have had coming out of harvard. That is a simple fact, and maybe you’ll realize that 10 years from now or from talking to people who are involved in the residency/fellowship/job selection process.

In the meantime, keep it up with the outrageous claims and personal attacks - you are doing a great disservice and damage to current applicants with the ignorant advice I've seen you post, yet you tell me about "spouting off." What a disgrace.

 

[Gilakend]

I think this is USC pretty easily, honestly. At the end of the day US MD is US MD, the line between them thins even more when they are both highly ranked. Could going to Harvard possibly give you more opportunities? Sure. Enough to uproot your whole life and where you enjoy living? Not in my opinion. If you do good at USC I'm sure you'll have no shortage of amazing opportunities.

 

[jessicajonesharvard]

Why would you go to University of Spoiled Children? USC sucks.
go bruins

 

[944129]

OP: Go to the second looks and evaluate your choice in terms of your personal life/goalz. How does financial aid compare? Is your relationship with your SO that serious? Would they move for you? If no, why? Would you really miss your family and friends that much? What opportunities exist at each institution that can help you move forward with whatever career goals you may have for yourself? Can being at the most prestigious place *gasp* actually help you achieve those goals?

If all else fails, follow that gut. This is 4 years of your life OP. Don't let people on the internet who don't have to experience it make that decision for you.

 

[lalalallala]

OP: Go to the second looks and evaluate your choice in terms of your personal life/goalz. How does financial aid compare? Is your relationship with your SO that serious? Would they move for you? If no, why? Would you really miss your family and friends that much? What opportunities exist at each institution that can help you move forward with whatever career goals you may have for yourself? Can being at the most prestigious place *gasp* actually help you achieve those goals?

If all else fails, follow that gut. This is 4 years of your life OP. Don't let people on the internet who don't have to experience it make that decision for you.

classic from someone who made a thread entitled 'what schools are the highest of the high tier'

 

[jessicajonesharvard]

It's only 4 years and you can be a HARVARD graduate for the rest of your life. A lot of people in this thread are gonna tell you to go to USC but when given the same chance, they would probably pick Harvard. You can always match back to California too!

 

[944129]

classic from someone who made a thread entitled 'what schools are the highest of the high tier'

I am interested in that type of stuff, no doubt. But it would be wrong (imo) to think that if someone went to the most prestigious place and was extremely unhappy that they would still be likely to be super successful, as opposed to being happy somewhere else.

 

[hello1234!]

Sounds like u will be a success no matter where you go. You will meet plenty of people in medicine who are obsessed with prestige. You also may have a similar delemna come time for residency. If u choose Harvard choose it bc u want it, otherwise medicine is hard and being near family is amazing.

 

[CarpeDiem1993]

Harvard.

 

[PickleRickelus]

Harvard no question.

 

[differentiating]

It's only 4 years and you can be a HARVARD graduate for the rest of your life. A lot of people in this thread are gonna tell you to go to USC but when given the same chance, they would probably pick Harvard. You can always match back to California too!

Not everyone cares about Harvard as much as SDN would have you believe. I can tell you I chose USC over Harvard - I didn’t even apply to the latter because I knew I wouldn’t pick it over my BS/MD program, but I did apply to Keck.

You don’t have to go to Harvard to match in a competitive specialty. You don’t have to go to Harvard to match at a good residency. The name may open doors for you, fairly or not, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get where you want to be from Keck or another school. Either choice would be a good one for OP.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Please keep this thread on topic and refrain from personal attacks and squabbles.