MCG Harrison scholar vs UVA

[Paperbackwriter1356]

Hey guys!

So I recently got off a UVA waitlist and I'm deciding between Medical college of Ga and UVA. I was offered a full tuition Harrison scholarship at MCG. Yet, I'm wondering if UVA is a good option to leave such a scholarship

MCG
Pros:
-close to home and where I want to eventually live
-no financial burden
-have many many contacts there so finding research projects and etc is easy
-wouldn't be sent to rural or small towns for rotations which is something I don't prefer since I'm from a small place bc of my scholarship requirements
-traditional curriculum

Cons:
-it's a huge class of 230
-it's lesser known

UVA
Pros:
-different environment
-more well known
-more lively campus

Cons:
-it's far from home and cold
-$$$ no financial aid

I'm favoring MCG for sure; however, I do want to keep an open mind. I'd love to hear other opinions.

Thank you!

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[notbobtrustme]

no ****ing way

take MCG and run.

 

[Winged Scapula]

MCG!!

 

[collegestud2013]

There is a significant difference between UVA and MCG when it comes to ranking (top 30 vs 70 to 75 on US News), average Step 1 scores, and match lists, so I wouldn't just turn down UVA because of cost. I'd say it depends how much your parents/relatives are able and willing to help you pay (or if you already have significant assets lying around to help pay as many non-traditional may). If they are fine with paying for the full or near the full OOS tuition at UVA, I'd go with UVA. If not, then may be go with MCG if you want to go into private practice down the line (in which your government loans won't be forgiven). If you want to go into academic or public service, I'd consider going to UVA with loans maxed out and planning on taking advantage of PSLF (though this can be a bit risky since this isn't for certain).

 

[Wordead]

Full ride all day. UVA isn't good enough to justify such a huge cost difference. Augusta GA kinda sucks but oh well.

Dude above is crazy.

 

[mmmcdowe]

Moving to SSD

 

[Acceleration]

.

 

[Mopitt16]

Cons:
-it's far from home and cold
-$$$ no financial aid

Lol at this statement

 

[Paperbackwriter1356]

Lol at this statement

Haha, sorry. I'm used to warm Christmases and .5" of snow that cause mass snow days. XD

 

[collegestud2013]

Full ride all day. UVA isn't good enough to justify such a huge cost difference. Augusta GA kinda sucks but oh well.

Dude above is crazy.

Woah, that was pretty inappropriate...

You shouldn't assume that just because the the cost is higher at UVA necessarily means the cost will be directly higher for the OP. If his/her parents are paying for med school that the cost to OP for either school could be similar. And if not but OP wants to go into academic medicine, the ranking of your med school will matter a lot more (not to mention that UVA has much more research opportunities than MCG), and the majority of loans borrowed can be forgiven with PSLF so the cost for OP may actually be similar. Also, if OP is interested into doing military, the military scholarships cover the full COA at any school so cost won't be in an issue. The only case where I would go MCG is if he/she is dead set on joining a for-profit private practice group in the future (where loans can't be forgiven, and where med school ranking matters less) and the parents aren't contributing financially. Since OP hasn't told us these details, it's hard to say which school.

Besides, if you read the post carefully you'd see that OP didn't get full ride scholarship, he/she got a full tuition scholarship meaning that it doesn't cover mandatory fees and living expenses. And if I remember correctly, MCG has some pretty high mandatory fees.

 

[Wordead]

Woah, that was pretty inappropriate...

You shouldn't assume that just because the the cost is higher at UVA necessarily means the cost will be directly higher for the OP. If his/her parents are paying for med school that the cost to OP for either school could be similar. And if not but OP wants to go into academic medicine, the ranking of your med school will matter a lot more (not to mention that UVA has much more research opportunities than MCG), and the majority of loans borrowed can be forgiven with PSLF so the cost for OP may actually be similar. Also, if OP is interested into doing military, the military scholarships cover the full COA at any school so cost won't be in an issue. The only case where I would go MCG is if he/she is dead set on joining a for-profit private practice group in the future (where loans can't be forgiven, and where med school ranking matters less) and the parents aren't contributing financially. Since OP hasn't told us these details, it's hard to say which school.

Besides, if you read the post carefully you'd see that OP didn't get full ride scholarship, he/she got a full tuition scholarship meaning that it doesn't cover mandatory fees and living expenses. And if I remember correctly, MCG has some pretty high mandatory fees.

Parents money is not free money

Your med school has very little to do with your ability to do academics

PSLF is not something to be depended on

If mandatory fees can come anywhere close to tuition at UVA, sure that would change things but then I somehow doubt OP would be posting about it. I would hope nobody would be posting about a $5000 difference between schools.

In any case, no offense meant don't be so sensitive. It's the internet.

 

[PocketAA]

Full ride all day. UVA isn't good enough to justify such a huge cost difference. Augusta GA kinda sucks but oh well.

Dude above is crazy.

Purely out of curiosity-- at what point would you say a school becomes "worth it?" Top 10? If OP asked between MCG vs. Duke, for example?

 

[Wordead]

Purely out of curiosity-- at what point would you say a school becomes "worth it?" Top 10? If OP asked between MCG vs. Duke, for example?

I'm sure this would depend on what I had for breakfast - but my opinion was also taking into consideration his other factors - wanting to stay around there as an attending, already having support and contacts, etc.

Right now, I'd say nothing less than top 5. Ask me tomorrow, maybe I say top 10, maybe I say nothing would cause me to turn down free tuition vs full tuition. The point is that MCG is maybe not super well known, but all your options are on the table coming from MCG. UVA doesn't make you a shoo-in for whatever the F you want like a Harvard or Hopkins does. So to me, personally, it doesn't make sense to turn down the full ride for the mild increase in prestige. We're not talking about a DO school or something that closes off some doors.

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

I'm sure this would depend on what I had for breakfast - but my opinion was also taking into consideration his other factors - wanting to stay around there as an attending, already having support and contacts, etc.

Right now, I'd say nothing less than top 5. Ask me tomorrow, maybe I say top 10, maybe I say nothing would cause me to turn down free tuition vs full tuition. The point is that MCG is maybe not super well known, but all your options are on the table coming from MCG. UVA doesn't make you a shoo-in for whatever the F you want like a Harvard or Hopkins does. So to me, personally, it doesn't make sense to turn down the full ride for the mild increase in prestige. We're not talking about a DO school or something that closes off some doors.

Concur.

Probably top 5-10, but would again come down to the specifics of the scenario.

I'm probably one of the heaviest leans into the "prestige matters" camp you'll find on this site, but if you're talking full tuition or full ride scholarships to a solid MD institution, yeah that's really hard to pass up.

What I find frustrating is when posters gravitate to the "cheaper school above all else" line of thinking when we are talking about major differences in prestige and relatively minor differences in cost (e.g. 10 or 20 K per year difference in overall costs)

*And I say all this as someone who thinks that UVA is probably one of the schools that most "punches above its weight" prestige wise (i.e. generally has a better reputation among residency PDs even than their US News ranking belies).

 

[Paperbackwriter1356]

Hi guys!

Thanks for all the insight-- it's giving me the ability to make a well-rounded decision.

I agree: prestige and price are both important considerations. MCG's price is maybe 10-20k a year on living expenses and fees together. UVA's would be about 80k (living expenses, fees, and tuition) I max out on my federal loans so they only cover 40k and then the rest is out of pocket and private loans or family support.

I'm still mulling over it; however, my life plan includes private practice and I'm not planning on settling in academic medicine for the rest of my career. So it seems like MCG.

 

[Paperbackwriter1356]

MCG for now. Thanks for your help!

 

[Lamel]

MCG for now. I just got an offer from Case Western. So the thinking begins again. Thanks for your help!

Case has a unit loan amount of ~45k per year before they start offering any other aid (grants, subsidized loans). MCG will likely be much cheaper, as Case is one of the most expensive schools in the country. See what they say about financial aid, but don't get your hopes up too much.

 

[Paperbackwriter1356]

You were spot on.

 

[Paperbackwriter1356]

I actually don't know too much about the loan process. What's the interest of federal unsubsidized loans and direct unsubsidized loans?

 

[Lamel]

I actually don't know too much about the loan process. What's the interest of federal unsubsidized loans and direct unsubsidized loans?

https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types/loans/interest-rates

 

[collegestud2013]

Hi guys!

Thanks for all the insight-- it's giving me the ability to make a well-rounded decision.

I agree: prestige and price are both important considerations. MCG's price is maybe 10-20k a year on living expenses and fees together. UVA's would be about 80k (living expenses, fees, and tuition) I max out on my federal loans so they only cover 40k and then the rest is out of pocket and private loans or family support.

I'm still mulling over it; however, my life plan includes private practice and I'm not planning on settling in academic medicine for the rest of my career. So it seems like MCG.

The roughly $40k maximum is only for for Direct Unsubsidized loans. You can also borrow from PLUS loans for any amount in addition to that (all the way up to the COA) to meet your needs. The PLUS loan does have a higher interest rate, but it is still a federal loan so it it can also be forgiven under Public Service Loan Forgiveness along with the Direct Unsubsidized loans (meaning the interest rate doesn't really matter since any additional balance beyond the amount you have to pay, which is solely based on your income during the first 10 years out of med school, will be forgiven). Both are available if you just send your FAFSA to the med schools' financial aid office.

 

[Banco]

MCG for now. Thanks for your help!

What did you end up going with?

 

[Paperbackwriter1356]

What did you end up going with?

I will actually matriculate at Case Western but for this decision I chose MCG.

 

[Banco]

I will actually matriculate at Case Western but for this decision I chose MCG.

Yeah I saw in the case thread that's why I was curious!

Why did you end up choosing case? Usually their fin aid isn't that good.

 

[Paperbackwriter1356]

I will be taking out a loan. And Case gave me a merit scholarship as well.

 

[22031 Alum]

I will be taking out a loan. And Case gave me a merit scholarship as well.

You were worried about UVA being too cold... I can't even come up with words for what you are about to go through. Bless your heart.

 

[Paperbackwriter1356]

Hahaha I knowwww. My interview day was -30. I mean Cleveland is a lot more interesting than Augusta. And we will all freeze!

 

[strictlyanon]

@Paperbackwriter1356 Sorry in advance for highjacking the thread, but I can't message you.
If you don't mind sharing, what were your stats or extracurriculars to get a full tuition scholarship to MCG?