UVM or MCW

[newdocintown]

Hi, guys. I wanted to get some opinions on these two schools.
I have been holding my acceptance to UVM since May 15th, and I was pulled off the waitlist at MCW recently.

I really liked them both during the interviews, and I want to get some opinions on these two schools.
Vermont's intergrated curriculum and their use of technology was really cool, but I don't think the earlier boards would necessarily help me because I need my time to prepare for standardized exams.

MCW, in general, was just a really good school, good atmosphere, big student body, lots of research opportunities, but no undergrad like UVM.

Also, the match list at UVM was very impressive to lots of big name programs, but possibly because of the big student body, I feel like MCW's match list is more diverse, with matches into literally every specialty.
I truly have no idea what I want to do, but I would like to have the option and the guidance to pursue different fields.

I am from California, so I don't have ties to either region, and I don't know what to make of Burlington or Milwaukee. I just know that both regions are cold haha, Vermont maybe a bit more. Since I would probably want to come back to Cali for residency, the success of the school matching into Cali programs are important to me.

I would appreciate any advice or comments that people could give me.
Thank you very much.

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[steakandlobster]

Hey, I made an account just to answer this for you. Feel special =).
I was also deciding between these two schools as well. I am a fellow Californian and chose to go with MCW. Fact is both schools are terrific, both offer equal opportunities, are of the same tier, and both will allow me to become a doctor. Although tuition is almost the same, with UVM being slightly higher, the cost of living is drastically different. Cost of living in Milwakee is way way way cheaper. You can get a two bedroom for $700! while in Burlington that might not even get you a decent one bedroom. The cost of living will also be cheaper for groceries, outings, etc.
MCW is jokingly considered one of the UC's because so many Californias end up there. So when you come back to California, many of your classmates are bound to come back with you. This is important to me. According to my calculations, i would be saving at least 10k/ year by going to MCW. Thats 40k over 4 years for essentially the exact same education. Match lists for both places are nearly equal as well, and you will have no problem coming back to California from either place. For that 40k i would rather buy myself a nice 325i BMW than spend it on getting the exact same thing. I would be equally happy at both places, so i just couldn't find a justification to spend more for UVM.If i was deciding between Harvard and MCW, then yes for 40k i would go with Harvard, but both these schools are of the same tier and with interest the 40k is going to turn into at least 60k for me to pay back later...just not worth it. The integrated curiculum at Vermont kind of worried me . Eventhough their students claim its ok and people still manage to do fine on Step 1, i believe my concerns are legitimate. How are we supposed to master 2 years of material in 1.5 when people have a hard time mastering it in 2 years? I don't want that added stress.
And Burlington was a bit to homogenous for my taste. I am Chinese and when i was there i barely saw any other asians, which is kind of scary to me. At MCW i felt like i fit in a lot more, since there were many asians.
Oh also because MCW is not affiliated with an undergrad, you will have an easier time finding better research opportunities with less competition=better chances of publication.
Feel free to PM me if you have anymore questions.

 

[Cooperd0g]

MCW. I'm on the UVM waitlist.

But seriously I think, besides the costs pointed out, the main difference is also a city versus small city / slightly rural environment. If you really want one type of environment over the other then with the other factors being similar, go with that.

 

[insued]

I personally feel that you should try to talk to current student about the school itself rather than how other perceives both schools.

 

[Eastern Blot]

MCW having no undergrads is a huge plus compared to UVM! At the MCW you are the only student body, so you are the golden children. No waiting in lines, no rations, and you are the favorite! You won't have to worry about wild housing locations, campus buildings over capacity, and libraries filled with obnoxious undergrads.
Having gone to a large undergrad campus, and going to a medical school which also has a large undergrad campus, I envy your MCW opportunity!

 

[premed0]

Hey, I made an account just to answer this for you. Feel special =).
I was also deciding between these two schools as well. I am a fellow Californian and chose to go with MCW. Fact is both schools are terrific, both offer equal opportunities, are of the same tier, and both will allow me to become a doctor. Although tuition is almost the same, with UVM being slightly higher, the cost of living is drastically different. Cost of living in Milwakee is way way way cheaper. You can get a two bedroom for $700! while in Burlington that might not even get you a decent one bedroom. The cost of living will also be cheaper for groceries, outings, etc.
MCW is jokingly considered one of the UC's because so many Californias end up there. So when you come back to California, many of your classmates are bound to come back with you. This is important to me. According to my calculations, i would be saving at least 10k/ year by going to MCW. Thats 40k over 4 years for essentially the exact same education. Match lists for both places are nearly equal as well, and you will have no problem coming back to California from either place. For that 40k i would rather buy myself a nice 325i BMW than spend it on getting the exact same thing. I would be equally happy at both places, so i just couldn't find a justification to spend more for UVM.If i was deciding between Harvard and MCW, then yes for 40k i would go with Harvard, but both these schools are of the same tier and with interest the 40k is going to turn into at least 60k for me to pay back later...just not worth it. The integrated curiculum at Vermont kind of worried me . Eventhough their students claim its ok and people still manage to do fine on Step 1, i believe my concerns are legitimate. How are we supposed to master 2 years of material in 1.5 when people have a hard time mastering it in 2 years? I don't want that added stress.
And Burlington was a bit to homogenous for my taste. I am Chinese and when i was there i barely saw any other asians, which is kind of scary to me. At MCW i felt like i fit in a lot more, since there were many asians.
Oh also because MCW is not affiliated with an undergrad, you will have an easier time finding better research opportunities with less competition=better chances of publication.
Feel free to PM me if you have anymore questions.

good stuff. listen to this guy

 

[CopaceticOne]

Since your looking between VT & WI, the whole consideration of what winters are like is moot. What I can tell you is that I've lived in Milwaukee off and on for the past 17 years and it is a pretty decent city. There is a good amount of diversity and the people going to MCW seem to enjoy Milwaukee. And what was said before about cost of living is VERY true. Milwaukee is pretty darn cheap compared to other cities in the country.

 

[gravitywave]

Hey, I made an account just to answer this for you. Feel special =).
I was also deciding between these two schools as well. I am a fellow Californian and chose to go with MCW. Fact is both schools are terrific, both offer equal opportunities, are of the same tier, and both will allow me to become a doctor. Although tuition is almost the same, with UVM being slightly higher, the cost of living is drastically different. Cost of living in Milwakee is way way way cheaper. You can get a two bedroom for $700! while in Burlington that might not even get you a decent one bedroom. The cost of living will also be cheaper for groceries, outings, etc.
I can't argue with this logic. if one really liked Vermont better than Wisconsin though, i'm not sure it's enough of a financial difference to justify the sacrifice. med school is about making sure you are in the right place for you to be successful.
MCW is jokingly considered one of the UC's because so many Californias end up there. So when you come back to California, many of your classmates are bound to come back with you. This is important to me. According to my calculations, i would be saving at least 10k/ year by going to MCW. Thats 40k over 4 years for essentially the exact same education. Match lists for both places are nearly equal as well, and you will have no problem coming back to California from either place. For that 40k i would rather buy myself a nice 325i BMW than spend it on getting the exact same thing. I would be equally happy at both places, so i just couldn't find a justification to spend more for UVM.If i was deciding between Harvard and MCW, then yes for 40k i would go with Harvard, but both these schools are of the same tier and with interest the 40k is going to turn into at least 60k for me to pay back later...just not worth it.
we have the same UC joke here at UVM too, that's pretty funny the rest of this, again, is personal choice: i don't know that's the calculus that would work for everyone. I would not have gone to school in Milwaukee for that much money; to each his own.
The integrated curiculum at Vermont kind of worried me . Eventhough their students claim its ok and people still manage to do fine on Step 1, i believe my concerns are legitimate. How are we supposed to master 2 years of material in 1.5 when people have a hard time mastering it in 2 years? I don't want that added stress.
our curriculum isn't added stress; quite the opposite. taking two years for preclinicals just adds more low-yield minutiae that you're compelled to memorize because your curriculum hasn't had the fat trimmed out of it yet with a more aggressive schedule. not trying to hate, just saying it like it is. the results speak for themselves, and i can assure you that people here are not stressed about it. if this type of schedule is good enough for UCSD, Duke, Columbia, Penn etc, it's good enough for me.
And Burlington was a bit to homogenous for my taste. I am Chinese and when i was there i barely saw any other asians, which is kind of scary to me. At MCW i felt like i fit in a lot more, since there were many asians.
totally makes sense
Oh also because MCW is not affiliated with an undergrad, you will have an easier time finding better research opportunities with less competition=better chances of publication.
utterly false
Feel free to PM me if you have anymore questions.

fun with colors

 

[gravitywave]

MCW having no undergrads is a huge plus compared to UVM! At the MCW you are the only student body, so you are the golden children. No waiting in lines, no rations, and you are the favorite! You won't have to worry about wild housing locations, campus buildings over capacity, and libraries filled with obnoxious undergrads.
Having gone to a large undergrad campus, and going to a medical school which also has a large undergrad campus, I envy your MCW opportunity!

yeah, we don't wait in lines here. trust me, we have plenty of support. the rest of campus may as well not exist if you don't have any need for it. we have our own facilities, the hospital is right next door (you don't even have to go outside to get there in the winter!) and the best housing is across the street and not eligible for undergrads.

i'd also like to take a moment to put in a plug for the UVM basic science faculty: they are, almost without exception, absolutely superb. seriously, i've been consistently blown away with how carefully they've selected the people who teach us; they are all very intelligent, with impeccable academic credentials, and absolutely committed to student success. plus they're just really nice people

MCW. I'm on the UVM waitlist.

But seriously I think, besides the costs pointed out, the main difference is also a city versus small city / slightly rural environment. If you really want one type of environment over the other then with the other factors being similar, go with that.

yes this should probably guide the decision as much as anything else.

with your decision, OP!

edit: back to the $$ considerations - does MCW give you a $3,000 tablet notebook on the first day, complete with software, insurance, cloud back-up, and support for four years? UVM does

 

[uclaussr]

im curious, what did OP decide to do?

 

[Hewulfff]

im curious, what did OP decide to do?

UVM, I hope. I'm on MCW's waitlist.