NJMS vs Cornell

[miaprgase0512]

Hi all! So I am extremely blessed and just got accepted to Cornell off of the wait list! It has been my top choice for medical school throughout the cycle and I have been looking forward to this moment since September!

However, I am currently committed to NJMS (my state school) where I was also lucky enough to receive a scholarship. The cost would be about half to attend NJMS, which is really the major pro about it as opposed to Cornell.

Which school would be a better option? I know I would be happier at Cornell and went into the application process expecting to be in debt. However, the idea of paying significantly less is obviously tempting.

Any and all help is appreciated!!!


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[Chelsea FC]

Hi all! So I am extremely blessed and just got accepted to Cornell off of the wait list! It has been my top choice for medical school throughout the cycle and I have been looking forward to this moment since September!

However, I am currently committed to NJMS (my state school) where I was also lucky enough to receive a scholarship. The cost would be about half to attend NJMS, which is really the major pro about it as opposed to Cornell.

Which school would be a better option? I know I would be happier at Cornell and went into the application process expecting to be in debt. However, the idea of paying significantly less is obviously tempting.

Any and all help is appreciated!!!


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Not a question. Cornell.

 

[Endoxifen]

Cornell

 

[miaprgase0512]

Not a question. Cornell.

Cornell

Thank you for your responses. So to make this more complicated, I just got a call today from NJMS offering me more money (now $20k per year). That makes tuition at NJMS ~$19k and Cornell ~$53k. Would you still say Cornell?


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[Endoxifen]

Thank you for your responses. So to make this more complicated, I just got a call today from NJMS offering me more money (now $20k per year). That makes tuition at NJMS ~$19k and Cornell ~$53k. Would you still say Cornell?


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Do you want to do residency in NYC? Do you want to go into academic medicine? These are important questions to ask yourself.

 

[Chelsea FC]

Thank you for your responses. So to make this more complicated, I just got a call today from NJMS offering me more money (now $20k per year). That makes tuition at NJMS ~$19k and Cornell ~$53k. Would you still say Cornell?


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NJMS could give you full COA scholarship and I would still say Cornell. The amount of doors Cornell would open for you is worth the money.

 

[CandH23]

Idk man. That debt difference is large. And you're in state so I'd assume you're living at home so you wouldn't have to pay for rent like you would in NY.
NJMS seems like a sweet deal to me. Unless there is something you don't think you can do at NJMS that you can do at Cornell, I'd say NJMS.

 

[miaprgase0512]

Idk man. That debt difference is large. And you're in state so I'd assume you're living at home so you wouldn't have to pay for rent like you would in NY.
NJMS seems like a sweet deal to me. Unless there is something you don't think you can do at NJMS that you can do at Cornell, I'd say NJMS.

I would be living on campus at NJMS and Cornell has the opportunity to get an MBA for cheaper if I choose to do so. So those are still kind of swaying me towards Cornell I think.


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[CandH23]

I would be living on campus at NJMS and Cornell has the opportunity to get an MBA for cheaper if I choose to do so. So those are still kind of swaying me towards Cornell I think.


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Right but how much cheaper for the MBA at Cornell? Is it enough to make the scholarship at NJMS less impactful?
My advice is to avoid debt as much as possible unless avoiding it hinders your goals and you have the plan to pay it off quickly.

 

[laxbrah20]

I wouldn't factor the MBA into your decision. You can get an MBA (or any other masters degree) anytime down the road in your medical career. Additionally, your career goals may change during medical school and may not require obtaining an MBA.

Here is one way of looking at this dilemma. Would you regret passing up on Cornell? If you'd have strong regrets about passing up on this opportunity then choose Cornell. If not, choose NJMS.

 

[radioactive15]

Right but how much cheaper for the MBA at Cornell? Is it enough to make the scholarship at NJMS less impactful?
My advice is to avoid debt as much as possible unless avoiding it hinders your goals and you have the plan to pay it off quickly.

The main questions here are whether OP believes the price difference is worth the chance to attend his dream school and if he/she will eventually regret passing on Cornell. Many people would be glad to take on debt if it means attending a Top 20 school and its advantages

 

[theWUbear]

I'm pretty sure (please correct me if I'm wrong) that most of the responses in this thread are from other pre-med's, and therefore lack perspective. I'm not claiming to have OP's answer (that's for you to determine), but I'm pretty sure most attendings would scream "TAKE THE MONEY". Someone mentioned "do you want to match in NYC?" Don't take that pre-med's comment to mean anything - make your own objective decision by viewing Cornell's and NJMS's match lists (here are NJMS's): Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. I'm sure Cornell has more NYC matches, but you can determine how significant it is vs your preference.

Furthermore regarding the decision to do residency in NYC - sounds luxurious, but it's also a bad financial decision (The White Coat Investor - Investing And Personal Finance for Doctors). I'm making 50k being a resident in Florida and taking home/investing more money (with two pools and private tennis courts at my residence) than someone living in an attic getting paid $70k by Northwell in long island, staten island, or lenox hill.


Someone mentioned academic medicine. Academic medicine is self-selecting - not everyone wants to take a major paycut (vs working at a higher paying community job) to teach and have to research. But whether you do high powered academic attending work is partially dependent on where you do your residency. Not medical school. Too far downstream.

Full disclosure, I graduated from NJMS, but hope I gave an alternate perspective. I believe that if you do decently at NJMS the match list shows you'll end up at a good residency, where you choose to be in four years. The pathology in Newark is top notch and the trauma is something you just won't get at Cornell - just ask Dr. Oz and the production team at Season 2 of New York Med

 

[laxbrah20]

I'm pretty sure (please correct me if I'm wrong) that most of the responses in this thread are from other pre-med's, and therefore lack perspective. I'm not claiming to have OP's answer (that's for you to determine), but I'm pretty sure most attendings would scream "TAKE THE MONEY". Someone mentioned "do you want to match in NYC?" Don't take that pre-med's comment to mean anything - make your own objective decision by viewing Cornell's and NJMS's match lists (here are NJMS's): Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. I'm sure Cornell has more NYC matches, but you can determine how significant it is vs your preference.

Furthermore regarding the decision to do residency in NYC - sounds luxurious, but it's also a bad financial decision (The White Coat Investor - Investing And Personal Finance for Doctors). I'm making 50k being a resident in Florida and taking home/investing more money (with two pools and private tennis courts at my residence) than someone living in an attic getting paid $70k by Northwell in long island, staten island, or lenox hill.


Someone mentioned academic medicine. Academic medicine is self-selecting - not everyone wants to take a major paycut (vs working at a higher paying community job) to teach and have to research. But whether you do high powered academic attending work is partially dependent on where you do your residency. Not medical school. Too far downstream.

Full disclosure, I graduated from NJMS, but hope I gave an alternate perspective. I believe that if you do decently at NJMS the match list shows you'll end up at a good residency, where you choose to be in four years. The pathology in Newark is top notch and the trauma is something you just won't get at Cornell - just ask Dr. Oz and the production team at Season 2 of New York Med

You make valid points, but I think this is starting to move away from the central question of the thread

Does OP go to their dream school at full cost or do they go elsewhere and have less debt?

 

[miaprgase0512]

Thank you all for the great points. My heart tells me Cornell and I know I would regret passing on this opportunity. I am also lucky enough to have some parental help so the debt will be a little lower. Weill Cornell it is!


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[NJMusicMan]

I do not think you will ever regret your choice. Good luck!

 

[miaprgase0512]

I do not think you will ever regret your choice. Good luck!

Thank you!!!


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[Señor S]

I'm pretty sure (please correct me if I'm wrong) that most of the responses in this thread are from other pre-med's, and therefore lack perspective. I'm not claiming to have OP's answer (that's for you to determine), but I'm pretty sure most attendings would scream "TAKE THE MONEY". Someone mentioned "do you want to match in NYC?" Don't take that pre-med's comment to mean anything - make your own objective decision by viewing Cornell's and NJMS's match lists (here are NJMS's): Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. I'm sure Cornell has more NYC matches, but you can determine how significant it is vs your preference.

Furthermore regarding the decision to do residency in NYC - sounds luxurious, but it's also a bad financial decision (The White Coat Investor - Investing And Personal Finance for Doctors). I'm making 50k being a resident in Florida and taking home/investing more money (with two pools and private tennis courts at my residence) than someone living in an attic getting paid $70k by Northwell in long island, staten island, or lenox hill.


Someone mentioned academic medicine. Academic medicine is self-selecting - not everyone wants to take a major paycut (vs working at a higher paying community job) to teach and have to research. But whether you do high powered academic attending work is partially dependent on where you do your residency. Not medical school. Too far downstream.

Full disclosure, I graduated from NJMS, but hope I gave an alternate perspective. I believe that if you do decently at NJMS the match list shows you'll end up at a good residency, where you choose to be in four years. The pathology in Newark is top notch and the trauma is something you just won't get at Cornell - just ask Dr. Oz and the production team at Season 2 of New York Med

This soon-to-be-resident would advise OP to attend Cornell, and also advise him to take the advice of random "attendings" with a grain of salt.