UMDNJ-NJMS vs. Hofstra NS-LIJ

[mindthegap]

good news everyone!

i've got a decision to make and i'm seeking some advice.

njms
pros:
-lecture-centric curriculum
-in-state tuition
-family, friends are close, very familiar with area
-very strong, established clinical reputation
-strong match list

cons:
-campus location (kind of a commuter school)
-the main hospital. provides a great clinical experience, but plagued by a few scandals in recent years, also hosts a lot of IMGs.

hofstra
pros:
-tuition-free (scholarship)
-attentive /enthusiastic faculty and staff
-typical campus (normal library, new gym)
-established hospital network, north shore is accustomed to residents

cons:
-PBL-centric curriculum
-brand new! so we will be guinea pigs, there will be administrative and curricular kinks
-no other med students to ask for advice (this is most bothersome)

i'm split down the middle. one aspect i like about one school is a deficit of the other.

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[Hoya2009]

Um, I'll give you a dollar if you go to NJMS.
You'll be happy and I'll have a better chance of getting off the WL and being happy, too.

Pareto efficient: can't beat that.

 

[mindthegap]

Um, I'll give you a dollar if you go to NJMS.
You'll be happy and I'll have a better chance of getting off the WL and being happy, too.

Pareto efficient: can't beat that.

i'm hoping one of the spots goes to someone still waiting on an acceptance. i'm on a ton of WLs too, so this may be a moot point. and we dun't prechiate yer highfalutin' ayconomics talk round these parts.

 

[GoWiththeFlo]

I have lived a long time in NJ. Live in Newark or be around the school/hospital at night? I don't think so.

 

[medlove87]

I have lived a long time in NJ. Live in Newark or be around the school/hospital at night? I don't think so.

Seriously, Hempstead isn't a cake walk either. It was one of the neighborhoods I was specifically not allowed to go to in high school. But they do have Obama Elementary School which is kinda cool.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hempstead_(village),_New_York#Education


Also:
Caribbean students do a lot of rotations in NY, including LI, so I wouldn't discount it for the Hof completely.

 

[mindthegap]

Seriously, Hempstead isn't a cake walk either.
Also:
Caribbean students do a lot of rotations in NY, including LI, so I wouldn't discount it for the Hof completely.

yea, i realized that right after i posted. i know about the njms hospitals because i've lived here so long, i've got no clue how i would find that kind of information about north shore or lij hospital.

 

[medlove87]

yea, i realized that right after i posted. i know about the njms hospitals because i've lived here so long, i've got no clue how i would find that kind of information about north shore or lij hospital.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/23/nyregion/23caribbean.html?ref=medicalschools

 

[gravitywave]

UMDNJ charges $31k in tution. are you talking about the difference between $31k and -0-? if you have no family/personal money, and are looking at $150k+ of extra debt after four years, then i think it's clear that you should go to Hofstra. nothing can outweigh that.

 

[bobow98]

Isn't it 0 only for 1 year?

 

[mindthegap]

Isn't it 0 only for 1 year?

well, everyone in the first class gets a half-tuition scholarship for all four years. for me, the other half is financial aid (more scholarships.) according to the fin aid office, they anticipate enough funding to offer similar awards over all four years.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/23/nyregion/23caribbean.html?ref=medicalschools

thanks, i had no idea about this. some public hospitals in NYC, and soon NJ, just have relationships with the Caribbean schools.

UMDNJ charges $31k in tution. are you talking about the difference between $31k and -0-? if you have no family/personal money, and are looking at $150k+ of extra debt after four years, then i think it's clear that you should go to Hofstra. nothing can outweigh that.

exactly. i'm broke and looking at an established school at $31k tuition/year vs. a brand new one at 0.

 

[theWUbear]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/23/nyregion/23caribbean.html?ref=medicalschools

http://njtoday.net/2011/05/05/umdnj-grenada-medical-school-negotiating-partnership/

 

[medlove87]

http://njtoday.net/2011/05/05/umdnj-grenada-medical-school-negotiating-partnership/

if you can't beat 'em...

 

[cpants]

Full ride is huge, and you should probably go with that. But get it in writing. 1 year full ride is nice, but you could easily catch up to 4 years of UMDNJ with 3 years of full price Hofstra. Also might be nice to talk to fin aid at UMDNJ and try to get them to up your aid. Tell them you want to stay in state but you are finding it hard to pass up a free ride. The neighborhood isn't an issue at UMDNJ. Most students live outside of Newark and there is locked/guarded parking with access to the hospital. Also there is now a gym.

 

[mindthegap]

Full ride is huge, and you should probably go with that. But get it in writing. 1 year full ride is nice, but you could easily catch up to 4 years of UMDNJ with 3 years of full price Hofstra. Also might be nice to talk to fin aid at UMDNJ and try to get them to up your aid. Tell them you want to stay in state but you are finding it hard to pass up a free ride. The neighborhood isn't an issue at UMDNJ. Most students live outside of Newark and there is locked/guarded parking with access to the hospital. Also there is now a gym.

very fine points. already tried to get it in writing for 4 yrs from hofstra, no go. at the least, all inaugural students at hofstra are guaranteed the 20k scholarship each year.

i tried to talk to fin aid at umdnj and got zilch. i'm very familiar with newark and the campus location, but it is a crappy part of town. i did see about the new gym now though, that's a nice addition.

 

[DennisdaMenace]

i'm hoping one of the spots goes to someone still waiting on an acceptance. i'm on a ton of WLs too, so this may be a moot point. and we dun't prechiate yer highfalutin' ayconomics talk round these parts.

How close do you live from UMDNJ? Close enough to have your folks visit? I knew of a medical student who's mom would drop by on the weekends to deliver home-cooked meals (the value of which cannot be underestimated - think of the time saved and happiness gained!). Also, if you're a family guy, being able to spend the next four years around people who you love / care for can be an invaluable and ultimately irreplaceable opportunity. If I had the option, I would gladly pay the extra $$$ to be able to visit my grandmother (who is nearing her nineties) a few more times while I still have the chance. Granted, you'll probably be too busy studying to spend much time with family and friends, and NY isn't exactly far from NJ, but being local has its advantages.

It seems that the primary talking point has been cost. While cost is undeniably important, a good specialty can help mitigate that (somewhat).

 

[medlove87]

i find the money arrangement here kind of lacking. with the $20k scholarship, the tuition is $22K at hofstra, and if umdnj is $31k ... is $9k a year really worth leaving family and taking part in a curriculum that you are weary about? i understand that money is a concern but i think there are more important issues at hand, as DennisdaMenace has articulated nicely.

med school is expensive no matter which way you throw the dice. just make sure you are comfortable where you are.

 

[mindthegap]

How close do you live from UMDNJ? Close enough to have your folks visit? I knew of a medical student who's mom would drop by on the weekends to deliver home-cooked meals (the value of which cannot be underestimated - think of the time saved and happiness gained!).

It seems that the primary talking point has been cost. While cost is undeniably important, a good specialty can help mitigate that (somewhat).

my family lives very close to umdnj, and those home-cooked meals are a definite. i know the money shouldn't be the sole focus, but their anticipated amount of aid is 160k over four years (80k guaranteed.) that's a lot of debt that i would have to take on at umdnj, and while i do love my family very much, i'm willing to move a bit farther.

i find the money arrangement here kind of lacking. with the $20k scholarship, the tuition is $22K at hofstra, and if umdnj is $31k ... is $9k a year really worth leaving family and taking part in a curriculum that you are weary about? i understand that money is a concern but i think there are more important issues at hand, as DennisdaMenace has articulated nicely.

med school is expensive no matter which way you throw the dice. just make sure you are comfortable where you are.

i understand you're weary about the money, but one of the largest hospital systems in the country is half-owner of the school. i don't see money being much of an issue over the next few years. one of the main draws at hofstra is the north shore-lij system. north shore is a beautiful hospital and will be our primary rotation site in M3/M4. umdnj-newark's hospital is going through some tough times (http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=818091) and i do not feel the same about it.

even if i go to hofstra, i can still come back home whenever i want (it's an hour train ride each way.) the curriculum still worries me, it's all over the place.

 

[rtm903]

my family lives very close to umdnj, and those home-cooked meals are a definite. i know the money shouldn't be the sole focus, but their anticipated amount of aid is 160k over four years (80k guaranteed.) that's a lot of debt that i would have to take on at umdnj, and while i do love my family very much, i'm willing to move a bit farther.



i understand you're weary about the money, but one of the largest hospital systems in the country is half-owner of the school. i don't see money being much of an issue over the next few years. one of the main draws at hofstra is the north shore-lij system. north shore is a beautiful hospital and will be our primary rotation site in M3/M4. umdnj-newark's hospital is going through some tough times (http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=818091) and i do not feel the same about it.

even if i go to hofstra, i can still come back home whenever i want (it's an hour train ride each way.) the curriculum still worries me, it's all over the place.

not to be a party pooper, but it's possible that dennisdamenace and medlove87 are trying to steer you away from hofstra because they're both on the alternate list and want your spot. good luck with your decision mindthegap, and let me know if you decide on hofstra because we're looking for some roommates for a decent sized house off campus.

 

[DennisdaMenace]

not to be a party pooper, but it's possible that dennisdamenace and medlove87 are trying to steer you away from hofstra because they're both on the alternate list and want your spot. good luck with your decision mindthegap, and let me know if you decide on hofstra because we're looking for some roommates for a decent sized house off campus.

You're on to me, rtm

No but really, you should go wherever you see yourself being the happiest, both in the in the near and long-term, considering all scenarios and opportunities. I really don't mean to draw you away or towards any school, though I do envy your position and luxury of choice. It is true that I am an alternate at Hofstra, but it is also true that your decision will most likely have relatively little impact on the ultimate outcome for most people on the list.

Both schools represent great choices and if you believe that you'll have realistic chances of making that commute home, then I would be tempted to pick Hofstra for its sheer value. That being said, if you're truly concerned about the curriculum, residency matching, or lack of a preceding class, etc. I would stick with your mom's cooking and UMDNJ.

I agree that money is a huge issue and is impossible to ignore, but I think that it is equally important to take a step back and tackle the issue from a humanistic stance. Let's face it - the money will always be there, but family won't. I've been working two jobs for the past few years, so I really do appreciate the value of money - but when cost is the only factor being discussed, I feel compelled to offer another point of view.

In any case, you have some thinking / soul searching to do, so good luck! I wish you the best and hope that you find happiness & success wherever you may go.

 

[medlove87]

whoa rtm, no need to jump to conclusions!

i didn't realize i was being so one-sided. in hofstra's defense, the NSLIJ system is pretty amazing. also, UMDNJ is in new jersey... that would personally convince me enough to not go there.

if you haven't made a choice yet, i suppose the best advice would be to go with your gut.

best of luck mindthegap