Stanford vs Yale

[sator]

I know these threads have been done to death but I have changed my mind a few times in the last few days and would appreciate your input to make sure I am not missing anything. I care less about advice on a decision and more about what distinguishes each school.

Both schools are great and fairly similar but if the financials were equal I would choose Stanford. However, Yale will be 180K cheaper. In either case I will not have to take out any loans but I can't help but feel I am wasting a lot of money for a marginal gain.

I definitely plan to work in California in the long term. I will be applying out for an MBA during medical school and am interested in a competitive surgical specialty.

STANFORD:
Pros
-Closer to home and where I would like to practice eventually (would love to do residency at Stanford)
- Business school (potential to finish in 5 years)
-Entrepreneurial community. I have worked in startups in the area and would like to continue to do so. The curriculum seems to have the flexibility to do that.

Cons
-Big emphasis on research (I'm not really into research)
- Significant cost difference

YALE:
Pros
- Yale system. Absolutely love this in theory. Not sure how much this differs from Stanford in actual practice.
- Cost
- Closer to most of my friends

Cons
- New Haven
-Thesis
- Would have to apply out for MBA (Yale MD/MBA is a great program but not for what I want to do)

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[winamp16]

How did you manage to knock 180k off the price of Yale? I'm going there next year and, man, it is going to be expensive.

 

[ButImLETired]

I'm rarely sure about these kinds of threads, but I'd definitely say Stanford for you. Yeah it's a lot more money, but they usually do work with you so their grad debt is actually fairly low. And if you're not paying for it anyway- sweet. Doing a Stanford MD/MBA is basically as baller as you get, especially if tech is your thing. And finally, it's hard to break into a California residency from outside of CA. Not impossible of course, just harder.
Stanford all the way.

 

[winamp16]

Also, I'm sure you've looked at the match list Dean Silverman sent out and already know this, but Yale sent a decent number of people (16) to California for residency if that's where you want to end up. The only state more people matched to was Massachusetts, and four of the California-bound students ended up at Stanford.

 

[DoctwoB]

180k difference??? Go to Yale. Do well, and you'll have no trouble getting back to cali for residency. If you're really concerned about getting to cali later, do 2-3 away rotations and you'll be all set. Definitely take the money. Buy a house. Buy one of these.

.

Sunshine and a good MBA program is a plus (personally don't think MD/MBA programs are a good idea, but to each his own), but not worth 180k.

 

[Wermz]

Yeah, Yale.

 

[LSU Gladiator]

It's pretty hard to imagine yale costing $180,000 less. LOL!

Go where you think the vibe is best for you.

 

[Truzzi]

GO TO YALE.

(unless you want to do residency in a WUSTL-affiliated hospital)

 

[drugsarefun]

GO TO YALE.

(unless you want to do residency in a WUSTL-affiliated hospital)

Haha totally. Seems that going to Yale blackballs you from washu residencies. hilarious.