UCLA (full ride) vs. UCSF vs. NYU/Mt.Sinai

[Md42]

Hi! been on SDN for a bit but made a new username for anonymity. So I have some great choices, which is awesome and also really scary. Was hoping to see some other people's thoughts so I can maybe sort through my own. Thanks in advance! here is some background:

General

• strong research background (neuro, pre-clinical), will likely continue doing research in medical school (but maybe switch to clinical). Potentially interested in academic medicine
• interested in pediatric neurology

NYU/SINAI

• Grouping these together because although I slightly prefer Sinai I will pick NYU if it ends up being significantly less expensive.
• absolutely plan on trying for a NYC residency and I know going to school in NY will help with that
• I have a ton of support in NY, my family lives in the suburbs, my brother in the city and lots of friends are around
• My SO might be staying in Boston, so NY-Boston is not so bad of a long distance to deal with (we've been together for a long time, very serious and at a point where we make sacrifices for each other)
• I will get no financial aid (parents disqualify me from that), but my parents are willing to chip in 10k a year if I choose a new york school, the rest would be loans

UCSF

• I only know like two people here and no family but I have always wanted to live on the west coast and this might be my last chance. San Francisco seems like a really cool town and one where a east coaster might fit in a little better than say LA
• Great school, awesome research opportunities!
• Can get in state after a year
• SO likes san francisco a lot and would have good job opps here, might be more willing to move to SF eventually

UCLA

• Full ride, the ability to graduate completely debt free, this is pretty unreal. I don't want to be deterred from a low paying specialty because of Debt. Want to be able to do fun adult things like buy a house once I graduate (I'm non-trad so a bit older). Full ride makes all of this possible and also I get to feel less anxious during med school, can focus on being successful instead of worrying about all of my debt.
• My brother lives in LA so that's nice and also makes it easier for my parents to visit me, but I know literally no one else. I'm worried I'd be really lonely here (SO likely would not move here)
• I hate driving/traffic, consider myself a new yorker at heart and I'm worried I'll just feel out of place in LA
• School had a great program, strong in neuro, liked the class schedule.

Thanks for any input! Sorry that was long!

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[mackkdad]

If I were you, I would ask your SO if he/she is willing to relocate to LA for the full-ride. A good school, free tuition, and good research opportunities. You can always live near the campus so you don't have to deal with traffic everyday but I can't guarantee your SO won't be stuck in traffic in case he/she gets a job offer in the area. SF just surpassed NYC as the most expensive city in America (even people in the Bay Area are moving away) so that would be a huge factor.

 

[bearintraining]

I personally would love to go to UCSF, but a full ride to UCLA would trump it. UCLA is a great school, amazing facilities, and you can always do residency @ UCSF (which would probably matter more anyway in the long run).

 

[Stagg737]

Personally, I'd go with UCLA. Full ride at a strong school with a good hospital system for clinical years would be too good for me to pass up. For you, I'd suggest choosing between UCLA and an NY school. UCSF is a great school, but it sounds like you're trying to choose between money and being near family, and chances are you'll be able to find research at whichever of these schools you choose.

 

[trynahelp]

UCLA full ride sounds hard to beat, but I think you have to make sure that your relationship can handle it. Med school stress + long distance is not normally a good recipe.

Have you told the NY schools about your full ride to UCLA? Maybe they can up their financial aid offers a little bit? Either way, follow the money as long as your SO is willing to deal with the distance.

 

[neurotroph]

I'd remove UCSF from the equation. Otherwise it's up to you to decide whether the lack of debt and all the benefits that affords or your relationships are more important to you personally. I don't think either is necessarily a wrong choice so /unhelpful

Edit: On second thought I vote UCLA since realistically there's a chance that you two would end up breaking up anyway if you go to a NY school (med school is tough on any relationship and it's still long distance). Having that debt would just add to the potential heartbreak.

 

[HCTZ1221]

As I prepare for residency and start to count up my loans, calculate monthly payments, and ruminate on compound interest, I'm SO HAPPY that I went to the cheapest school. I don't feel like I can tell you what to do because your priorities are not necessarily the same as mine, but please take the full ride to freaking UCLA. I might see you there.

 

[Sir.SavaLottaLife]

Basically ask the NY schools for money, pick the cheaper one of those. For most people I would say UCLA no question, but you have family in NY+want a NYC residency+ better personality fit in NYC+ a serious relationship to consider. LA is not where you want to be if you hate driving and if your SO is unwilling to move to LA than this could be the most regretful option. To me it seems like you would pretty much be going to UCLA almost only because of the money.

 

[sugar6594]

Take the full ride!!

Plus they have awesome parodies:



IMO, this one is better than Lorde's original.

 

[wanderyonder]

Take the money. Use it to buy as many plane tickets to visit your SO as you want!

 

[Md42]

Thanks for all the responses! Still want to see how I feel at all the second looks, but this has been helpful in my thinking.

 

[Md42]

UCLA full ride sounds hard to beat, but I think you have to make sure that your relationship can handle it. Med school stress + long distance is not normally a good recipe.

Have you told the NY schools about your full ride to UCLA? Maybe they can up their financial aid offers a little bit? Either way, follow the money as long as your SO is willing to deal with the distance.

Any suggestions for how to approach schools with this? I called NYU and they said they put a note in my file (but never sent me anything) and I emailed Sinai and they never responded (although when I called to say that I had emailed them they said they received the email)

Thanks!

 

[Stagg737]

Any suggestions for how to approach schools with this? I called NYU and they said they put a note in my file (but never sent me anything) and I emailed Sinai and they never responded (although when I called to say that I had emailed them they said they received the email)

Thanks!

I would push them a little harder, but not be overly forceful. I'd explain your situation and let them know that you'd very strongly prefer to stay in NY because you have family there, a better support system, like their curriculum better, etc. but that they will need to help you out financially. If they really want you and not just any decent student to fill the seat, they'll offer you something. Probably won't be a full ride, but it may make your decision easier (or harder) if they give you enough.

 

[trynahelp]

Any suggestions for how to approach schools with this? I called NYU and they said they put a note in my file (but never sent me anything) and I emailed Sinai and they never responded (although when I called to say that I had emailed them they said they received the email)

Thanks!

Yeah, like Stagg said, I think the best way is to push them a little harder. Follow up by phone, and be direct but polite. Just say something like: I have strong ties to NYC, I want to be here, but the financial aid is not making that viable. Here's what I have at UCLA, how can you help me?

Given that you got a full ride to UCLA, I'm sure you're a pretty stellar student, so I can't imagine they'd just give up you right away.

 

[Psai]

ucla

 

[Md42]

I would push them a little harder, but not be overly forceful. I'd explain your situation and let them know that you'd very strongly prefer to stay in NY because you have family there, a better support system, like their curriculum better, etc. but that they will need to help you out financially. If they really want you and not just any decent student to fill the seat, they'll offer you something. Probably won't be a full ride, but it may make your decision easier (or harder) if they give you enough.

Yeah, like Stagg said, I think the best way is to push them a little harder. Follow up by phone, and be direct but polite. Just say something like: I have strong ties to NYC, I want to be here, but the financial aid is not making that viable. Here's what I have at UCLA, how can you help me?

Given that you got a full ride to UCLA, I'm sure you're a pretty stellar student, so I can't imagine they'd just give up you right away.

Hey! Just wanted to say thanks for this advice. Mount Sinai offered me 40K/ year of merit money after I pushed them a bit harder, which will leave me with a manageable amount of debt. I'm going to accept their offer and go there and I am so so so excited that I get to move home for med school

yayyyyyyy thanks!!!!

 

[wanderyonder]

Hey! Just wanted to say thanks for this advice. Mount Sinai offered me 40K/ year of merit money after I pushed them a bit harder, which will leave me with a manageable amount of debt. I'm going to accept their offer and go there and I am so so so excited that I get to move home for med school

yayyyyyyy thanks!!!!

Sounds like you made the right choice then. Congratz and best of luck!

 

[trynahelp]

Hey! Just wanted to say thanks for this advice. Mount Sinai offered me 40K/ year of merit money after I pushed them a bit harder, which will leave me with a manageable amount of debt. I'm going to accept their offer and go there and I am so so so excited that I get to move home for med school

yayyyyyyy thanks!!!!

Nice job! It doesn't always work, but this is why it's important to always try and compare financial aid offers! You never know what might happen. Enjoy Sinai, NYC is awesome!

 

[Stagg737]

Hey! Just wanted to say thanks for this advice. Mount Sinai offered me 40K/ year of merit money after I pushed them a bit harder, which will leave me with a manageable amount of debt. I'm going to accept their offer and go there and I am so so so excited that I get to move home for med school

yayyyyyyy thanks!!!!

Congratulations! Glad it worked out for you and I hope you end up enjoying it as much as I have so far!