Loyola Stritch vs UW Madison

[schuba44]

Loyola
Pros

• Went there for a Master's of Medical Physiology program so I know the school and feel really comfortable there
• Would be able to live in Chicago, where I've lived for 3 years and have a solid support system, I also have a serious long term relationship here (I'm 25, my boyfriend is a lawyer at a Chicago firm and can't move to Madison anytime soon).
• I ultimately want to do residency in Chicago so my chances of matching in Chicago could be higher
• Is Jesuit (I went to a Jesuit school (Boston College) and LOVED it).
• Smaller class size and campus is separate from the undergrads

Cons

• Out of state, more expensive tuition ($56,080)
• Higher cost of living
• Not as prestigious as Madison
• Lower STEP 1 scores

UW-Madison
Pros

• In state tuition ($28,650)
• Lots of school funding for research
• More prestigious
• Lower cost of living
• My dad went here, my parents reeeeallly want me to go here
• Higher STEP 1 scores (I'm looking to go into anesthesiology/ENT/derm etc.)

Cons

• LOCATION. Far away (2.5 hours) from my support system/boyfriend. Don't have a strong desire to live in Madison for 4 years
• Very much a college town/campus is connected to undergrad
• Bigger class size

Summary: I'm torn between choosing maybe a less prestigious, more expensive private medical school in Chicago (my dream city and where my support system/long term relationship is) or an instate school that is more prestigious, less expensive, but in a city I really don't see myself loving for 4 years/far away from my support system. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[libertyyne]

UW madison.

1. Step scores are reflective of matriculating MCAT scores, cant really compare them like that meaningfully.
2. UW-Madison will probably open more doors for residency placement in Chicago
3. Higher debt burden for a lower ranked school is almost blasphemous.
4. You will spend most of your time studying wont have much time for the bf anyway.

Ultimately it is your decision on how much importance you ascribe to living in Chicago. Your bf could break up with you in 6 months , and you would have spent 100K partially because you wanted to be closer to him. 2.5 hours is not too far and is close enough to visit on free weekends etc.
If you want to go ENT/Derm going to the higher ranked school is a better choice as you get more exposure to home residency programs/research etc.

 

[btuck]

Wisconsin for sure

I grew up in Chicago and was intent on going to school in Chicago. Then I moved to Madison for my gap year (live here currently) and love it here. Never thought I would love it as much coming from a big town like Chicago but it is truly an amazing city. I drive back to Chicago all the time to see family/special events - really easy drive to make. When I got rejected from UWM I was devastated, it became my top choice shortly after I moved. If you have any questions about what it is like to live in Madison at our age feel free to DM me. (this is not even to mention prestige and COA).

 

[MDPedigree]

As someone who has interviewed at both schools (OOS for both) this thread intrigues me. I personally would take UW and sacrifice my bf and support system a bit and prioritize my education (better school, cheaper also, so better for your career in terms of loans). That being said, Dean Naybers from Loyola specifically mentioned that if you have competing offers and another school is offering you less, they would look into matching it. Have you contacted him?

If Loyola matches, I would take Loyola. You would be much happier having your bf/support system and being in a city you like. You sound like you wouldn't be all that happy in Madison. I feel like you being happy could lead to you doing better in school. And honestly it's not like you're taking Loyola over Harvard. You're taking a low tier school over a middle tier. As long as you do well both places and establish strong connections and do well on STEP, I think your opportunities would be equal.

 

[Lawpy]

UW Madison hands down. Cheaper and better opportunities that will help your career in the long term.

 

[Kingsmen2018]

3. Higher debt burden for a lower ranked school is almost blasphemous

This lol

 

[Microbug]

UW madison +1

 

[schuba44]

As someone who has interviewed at both schools (OOS for both) this thread intrigues me. I personally would take UW and sacrifice my bf and support system a bit and prioritize my education (better school, cheaper also, so better for your career in terms of loans). That being said, Dean Naybers from Loyola specifically mentioned that if you have competing offers and another school is offering you less, they would look into matching it. Have you contacted him?

If Loyola matches, I would take Loyola. You would be much happier having your bf/support system and being in a city you like. You sound like you wouldn't be all that happy in Madison. I feel like you being happy could lead to you doing better in school. And honestly it's not like you're taking Loyola over Harvard. You're taking a low tier school over a middle tier. As long as you do well both places and establish strong connections and do well on STEP, I think your opportunities would be equal.

I was waiting to see what the financial aid packages would be from both schools before contacting Loyola's Dean, but maybe I should contact him ASAP? Definitely was planning on seeing if they would match (I remember they mentioned that during my interview as well), and if the cost were the same, it would even the playing field for sure. I've always been the type of person to put my education first, and have sacrificed a lot in the past to get to this point, but now I'm in the stage of my life where I want to be a doctor, but I also want to be married and have a family in a few years. I think it's hard to admit that because I've always been so career focused, so I feel weird/guilty possibly choosing a lower tier school for a social/family reasons. I'm afraid that living in Madison will make me feel isolated and depressed and I won't ultimately do as well as I could have, but at the same time, the competitive, type A side of me is nagging me to suck it up and choose the higher ranked school. But you're right, it's not like Madison is Harvard (but through my parents' eyes it basically is lol), but is Loyola really considered a "low tier" school? Definitely going to go to both schools' second look days.

 

[MDPedigree]

I was waiting to see what the financial aid packages would be from both schools before contacting Loyola's Dean, but maybe I should contact him ASAP? Definitely was planning on seeing if they would match (I remember they mentioned that during my interview as well), and if the cost were the same, it would even the playing field for sure. I've always been the type of person to put my education first, and have sacrificed a lot in the past to get to this point, but now I'm in the stage of my life where I want to be a doctor, but I also want to be married and have a family in a few years. I think it's hard to admit that because I've always been so career focused, so I feel weird/guilty possibly choosing a lower tier school for a social/family reasons. I'm afraid that living in Madison will make me feel isolated and depressed and I won't ultimately do as well as I could have, but at the same time, the competitive, type A side of me is nagging me to suck it up and choose the higher ranked school. But you're right, it's not like Madison is Harvard (but through my parents' eyes it basically is lol), but is Loyola really considered a "low tier" school? Definitely going to go to both schools' second look days.

I think you could wait till you receive your final package, that way its not like a back and forth.

I disagree with everyone posting here to just take Madison (I agree if the cost remains as is, but if they were even, I don't think it's so cut and dry). Your happiness is just as important to your success, and Loyola is a US MD school and has close ties to Chicago which is where you want to be. I said it is low tier because it's not ranked by the USNews and when it was, it was close to the bottom. That being said, if you were to Hypothetically receive the same STEP scores and same quality LOR's and shelf scores, I don't see how UW would be that much of a stronger pull, if at all. I would personally take Loyola and be happy... Life is too short to do otherwise.

 

[Premed2295]

Loyola.
You are going to need your support system during medical school and in the long run want to end up working where you’ll be happy. You can’t put a price tag on your happiness. And if you live with your BF that could reduce cost of living for housing, groceries etc since you share the burden. And Loyola will likely match cost for you. Not to mention the earning potential is higher if you get a Chicago based residency, as you as hoping for, so really the debt thing comes out in the wash.
Plus I love Jesuit education.

 

[Malkin.12]

UW Madison... I'm also a Wisconsin resident

 

[MrJababy]

Hi! Funny coincidence, but I have a similar situation 6 years later (also did MSMP). Wondering what you ended up deciding - if you could DM me if you see this