Emory vs. UPenn

[deleted1144479]

UPenn
Pros

• Prestige edge (not sure what I want to do but leaving the door open for competitive specialties is nice)
• Phenomenal research opportunities as I am interested in possibly becoming a physician-scientist
• I have family living in Philly and NJ so that would be a strong support system
• The new Penn pavilion center looks incredible and they seem to have great facilities across the board
• One of if not the best match lists among all medical schools
• Philly is bikeable and has good public transportation so I could manage all 4 years potentially without relying on a car

Cons

• Feels like it would be a more competitive environment
• Graded clinicals
• Internal rankings (quartiles I believe, but still not something I’m looking forward to)

Emory
Pros

• True P/F including clinicals which is a HUGE plus for me, especially when contrasted against the perceived competitiveness of UPenn
• Student atmosphere gave off excellent vibes on interview day, everyone seemed very happy and collaborative, moreso than anywhere else I interviewed
• Grady is reputed as offering a great clinical training experience
• Atlanta seems like a very cool city, would love to try somewhere new as I’ve been in the Northeast US my whole life
• Obviously still a top-20ish school with lots of great resources, prestige, etc.

Cons

• Lower prestige
• Less research oriented
• Farther from family and supports

Summary: My decision basically comes down to the trade off between prestige/connections offered by Penn and the less stressful atmosphere of Emory. If people could speak to the culture at either institution and give any advice that would be extremely helpful!

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[RabiesTier]

Personally, I would rank Penn > Emory for a couple reasons. Leaving more opportunity and doors for yourself (especially when you aren't sure what you will want to do) is huge. Medical school is going to be difficult regardless of where you go. In that light, I would value a support network highly. Since research appears very important to you, U-Penn is the winner by far in that category.
I think it is reasonable and important to want to minimize stress by going true P/F, but the benefits of UPenn are not something you should pass up lightly.

 

[deleted1144479]

Thank you for your advice! I think as time goes on I'm leaning more towards Penn. For me, personally, the location is great and affordable plus all the great opportunities the institution provides. I think I just got a little spooked by the reputation of Penn being "cutthroat" compared to the overwhelming supportiveness of Emory.