WashU vs. Northwestern (Feinberg) vs. Michigan vs. UChicago (Pritzker)

[rejectedoncealready]

Hi everyone! I’m so grateful to have been accepted to these 4 amazing medical schools. I am still waiting on a few decisions from non-rolling admissions programs, but I feel like these four will be top contenders regardless of what March brings me. I also have acceptances to Ohio State, UVA, and UIC, but I don’t see myself attending any of those over these four unless I got a big scholarship/financial aid package (UIC’s in-state rates are not really a discount compared to private schools).

I haven’t gotten financial aid information from any of these, and money will certainly be a deciding factor since I am footing the bill for tuition and living expenses myself. If I get a great financial aid offer from one of these four, that will essentially make my decision for me. However, I know that Michigan and UChicago have already awarded merit scholarships and I was not lucky enough to receive one. That fact also makes me skeptical that I would receive a scholarship from Northwestern or WashU. With that in mind, all of these schools will probably end up costing approximately the same.

WashU:
Pros

• My only top 10 acceptance
• Smaller class size (100)
• Lower cost of living in St. Louis
• Potential for good need-based financial aid? Very low avg. graduate debt
• P/F grading for first & second year
• Pretty medical school building with ample student study/lounge space

Cons

• New curriculum changes, still unclear how it would help or hurt my class/career
• I’m not a big fan of St. Louis
• 2 year pre-clinical curriculum (unless our class undergoes part of the curriculum changes?)
• Farther from family than NU/UChicago

Northwestern:
Pros

• My home institution, I bleed purple, go ‘cats, etc. But really, I spent four years in undergrad dreaming of being able to get in here
• Closest to home and my family
• Fantastic location in the city! sweet home Chicago!
• Beautiful and brand new hospital system
• Per their interview day: “Pass/Pass” grading?

Cons

• Highest rent & cost of living in Streeterville/Gold Coast
• A lot of people from my undergrad go here, and I wanted a “fresh start” in med school (as weird as that may sound)
• Larger class size (160)
• 2 year pre-clinical curriculum
• High avg. graduate debt (and I’ve heard they don’t usually offer up a lot of merit/need-based aid)
• No real student study space/lounge

Michigan:
Pros

• One year pre-clinical curriculum
• Michigan has an intangible cool factor and also a very strong sense of community
• Maybe slightly higher ranking than the Chicago schools?
• While it is not Chicago, I like the feel of Ann Arbor
• Flex quizzing!
• Beautiful & updated facilities/study spaces/medical school campus
• Pass/fail grading for pre-clinical

Cons

• Larger class size (170)
• Students seemed more stressed than those I met at other places, especially the M1s
• Out-of-state tuition and did not receive a scholarship
• Farther from family than NU/UChicago

UChicago:
Pros

• The students were the absolute happiest I met anywhere! They seemed so relaxed, happy, and supported
• Faculty seemed VERY invested in helping students
• Close to home and my family
• Pass/fail grading for pre-clinical
• Smaller class size (90)
• $cholarship, approx 3/4 tuition

Cons

• 2 year pre-clinical curriculum
• I’m unsure about Hyde Park (in terms of safety and things to do in the area)
• Smaller hospitals that are definitely overshadowed by Northwestern’s in the Chicagoland area

All input is welcomed! Thank you for reading my rambling mess of indecision!

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[574522]

I'd vote UMich. Would be nice to try a new area, Ann Arbor is fun and cheap, the university does a lot of things really well (tons of great dual-degree or collaboration opportunities), and most importantly, it has a one year curriculum. The only thing worse than 1 year of pre-clerkship is 2 years of pre-clerkship

 

[ThinCrustPizzaLover]

Congratulations on so many excellent choices! I'm a current MS1 at Pritzker and I also did my undergrad at NU. There's a good chance I met you during interview day. I also ended choosing between WashU, Feinberg, and Pritzker last year.

Two things:
First, in regards to a two-year preclinical curriculum: I think it's important to keep in mind that having the material spaced out gives you a LOT of flexibility in terms of how you spend your time. At Pritzker, most of my classmates are heavily involved in extracurriculars, free clinic leadership, or research. For me personally, learning the material and passing my classes is one of the least stressful parts of medical school so far. If you're someone that likes the ability to structure their own schedule, then I think a two-year preclinical curriculum would be beneficial, especially coupled with unranked P/F grading.

Second, in regards to financial aid/scholarships: Don't count yourself out for merit scholarships just yet. As people start to accept/decline acceptances and waitlists start to move, you can negotiate with financial aid offices for scholarship. You're in a really good position because you have acceptances to several highly-ranked peer institutions that are vying for many of the same applicants. If you don't get some sort of merit scholarship, you're selling yourself short. There are threads on SDN about how to negotiate for scholarships that can help you.

Overall, my decision last year was influenced 50% by cost and 50% by fit. Go to second look weekends because that's when schools start to show their true colors. I never realized how different Pritzker and Feinberg were until I went to their respective revists. Feel free to DM me if you have any other questions. Go 'Cats.

 

[rejectedoncealready]

Thank you all for the input...I never realized that Michigan seemed like a favorite from my pro/con list.

This process never ceases to surprise me and UChicago offered me a very impressive scholarship this week. It's somewhere between half and full tuition (UChicago's quarter system tuition makes their COA interesting for M3 and M4). So, it looks like I will be choosing UChicago unless one of these other schools can match/top that offer.

 

[Blake333]

UMich is too great an opportunity to pass up. Ann arbor isn't that big but it really is a great place to live!

 

[rejectedoncealready]

Unfortunately, Michigan is pretty much out now because they refused to match my scholarship. If WashU and/or Feinberg match Prtizker's offer, what would you think my best option is? Of course, now I'm highly drawn to Pritzker because it feels like they truly "want" me to be a part of their class...is that ridiculous or reasonable?

 

[rball]

Based on what you've told us, I'd go with Pritzker.

First, you are correct that Pritzker's hospital system (and most of their residency programs) are overshadowed in Chicago by NWern. In terms of hospital systems, Northwestern is rapidly on the rise while UChicago has unexplicably been tanking over the past decade or so. That being said, this really does not matter to you much as a medical student. As a medical student, what you are looking for is a hospital system that will give you a great training experience and allow you to be a vital member of the team, as well as a system that allows you to see a wide range of pathologies and that is "student-friendly"/non-malignant. In these areas, Pritzker is truly exceptional.

In a vaccum, as institutions, WashU and UMich have slightly better reputations in medicine than UChicago. However, Pritzker really prepares its students well by throwing at them all types of opportunities and providing exceptional personalized advising/training that allows students to match exceedingly well and perform exceedingly well in residency. From my experience, Pritzker students have a phenomenal reputation amongst residency directors at elite academic programs, from coast to coast. Pritzker should not hold you back in most cases, although there are certain specialties (particularly the surgical subspecialties) that are definitely stronger at WashU and Northwestern and those schools may give you a very slight advantage come match time in these fields.

Overall I do not think your outcomes are going to be much different coming out of any of the schools you listed, so you should focus on where you would be happiest and $$. Even if WashU or Feinberg matches your offer, it really seems that you prefer Pritzker tremendously based on your pros/cons list. I have friends in Hyde Park and at the institution who love living there. It's a pleasant, quieter neighborhood that is a short metro ride out from the heart of downtown Chicago. I wouldn't be worried about the 2 year pre-clinical curriculum; Pritzker students perform very well on STEP and in 3rd year so clearly they are doing something right.

Hope this helps. Congrats on the great choices!

 

[rejectedoncealready]

I now have $70k/year in scholarship to attend WashU or $60k/year in scholarship to attend Northwestern. The cost difference between the two is now about $50k over four years (also because of the more expensive cost of living in Chicago), although that will all be in loans so it will grow to be more with interest. I'm torn because I am pretty certain that after attending second looks I prefer the curriculum and program at WashU, but I much prefer the location and closeness to home of Northwestern. I'm leaning towards WashU, but is the ability to be close to home during the stress of medical school worth an extra $50k in loans? Any advice/opinions?

 

[AJC1]

Sounds like either school's debt could be paid off in just a year or two as an attending--so you'll be fine financially no matter what.

 

[rejectedoncealready]

Decided on WashU, although I still have a sinking sadness in my stomach after turning down Feinberg this afternoon. Thanks to all who responded, I am officially retiring from SDN.

 

[pwk4d]

Decided on WashU, although I still have a sinking sadness in my stomach after turning down Feinberg this afternoon. Thanks to all who responded, I am officially retiring from SDN.

I feel you on turning down Feinberg but I'm happy to have another Cat as my classmate!