Help with my decision: NSU, KCU, WesternCOMP, or TUNCOM (pros/cons lists included)

[jevindoes]

Hello SDN,

I am in the fortunate situation of having interviewed at multiple schools and would like the input of more experienced SDNers to make a decision. So far, I have been accepted at NSU and TUNCOM and am waiting to hear back from KCU and Western. Reason I am posting this now is because my deposit for NSU is due in a little over a week, and I'm hoping that I will hear back from KCU and Western before then to make a last minute decision.

A little bit about myself: Born and raised in California. I would like to be near my family and support system, but I also want to attend a school that will prepare me the best when it comes to boards and residency matching. I understand that how I do in medical school will ultimately depend on me, but I also want to know which school would do the best at setting me up for success. I am an avid gym-goer, so the gym is something I also took into account when making these lists. I am open to any current students that would like to chime in on my list. This is information I have gathered from the schools' websites, SDN and the interview day.


Nova Southeastern University

PROS:

• BEAUTIFUL facilities and campus
  
  
• Good reputation in the area
  
  
• Open door policy with faculty
  
  
• Good vibes at interview, felt like they really took care of interviewees
  
  
• Nice simulation center
  
  
• Rotations are scheduled for you (primarily in Florida)
  
  
• Shadow a primary care physician every 3 weeks for the first 2 years
  
  
• Spanish medical class
  
  
• Near BEACHES (not sure how much time I would spend here, but good to know)
  

CONS:

• Far from home
  
  
• Large class size (235)
  

• Mandatory dress code (scrubs or professional)
  
  
• an exam every week, as many as 2 every week (personally don’t like this)
  
  
• Grading policy is percentage-based
  
  
• Requirement of 80 hours of community service for 1st two years
  

Touro, Nevada

PROS:

• Largest medical school in Nevada
  

• cost of living is CHEAP
  
  
• somewhat near home
  
  
• core clinical rotations all done in Henderson/Vegas area
  
  
• Not much competition for rotation sites in the area (although UNLV and Roseman are opening medical schools in the next few years)
  
  
• faculty are very willing to help students, open door policy
  
  
• Many match in California
  
  
• They listen to students’ needs. As a result, have been expanding
  
  
• Campus is closed at 3PM on Fridays to observe the Sabbath
  
  
• exams are organized to replicate boards (multi-subject, multiple choice)
  

CONS:

• Campus is literally a warehouse and maze-like
  
  
• required to purchase Dell laptop from the school (I’m more of a macbook guy)
  
  
• No clinic for DO students
  

Kansas City University

PROS:

• very good reputation, been around for 100 years
  
  
• good match list (includes Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, John Hopkins)
  
  
• Dean really emphasized how they prepare you to be COMPETITIVE through a demanding curriculum that leads to improved performance on board exams
  
  
• tons of student resources (psychologists, tutors, learning specialists, etc.)
  
  
• All courses are curved to 85% (not sure if good or bad?)
  
  
• cost of living not too bad
  
  
• Tuition is ~$10,000 less than most med schools
  

CONS:

• far from home
  
  
• area around the campus is not the safest
  
  
• Gym is lacking, no indoor basketball court
  
  
• Extreme weather (either very hot or very cold)
  

WesternUCOMP

PROS:

• In California, only an hour flight away from home
  
  
• Has a good reputation in the area, and gives me a good chance to match and ultimately practice in California (41% matched in California in 2014)
  
  
• Produces some great physicians, my mentor is a Western alumnus
  
  
• Student body is made up of primarily California residents → very diverse, similar to my undergraduate
  
  
• Emphasize interprofessional education
  
  
• Strong clinical training through standardized patients, was told Western students have some of the highest COMLEX-2 scores in the country
  
  
• Office of Career and Professional Development (OCPD) provides longitudinal assistance to osteopathic medical students up to graduation
  

CONS

• Interview was pretty invasive
  
• Cost of living is expensive (California)
  
  
• Large class size (220)
  
  
• Anatomy course is separate, not tied together with organ-based curriculum
  
  
• Many lectures are recorded from the Lebanon campus, ask questions through discussion board or Skype
  
  
• No gym on campus, have to pay separately for LA fitness (although Western covers $100/year)

Thank you for your help!

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[docycle]

I think most would say NSU>TUNCOM.

@Mad Jack don't you attend NSU? Maybe you could offer some perspective here.

 

[IslandStyle808]

I think most would say NSU>TUNCOM.

@Mad Jack don't you attend NSU? Maybe you could offer some perspective here.

I believe he attends UNE.

 

[docycle]

I believe he attends UNE.

Ah my bad sorry for the mixup. I do think he knows a thing or two about NSU though from previous things I've read from him.

Maybe I was thinking @DrQuinn.

Yeah I'm pretty sure it's quinn as his old name used to be QuinnNSU. Course I think he attended a while back...

 

[IslandStyle808]

Ah my bad sorry for the mixup. I do think he knows a thing or two about NSU though from previous things I've read from him.

Maybe I was thinking @DrQuinn

@Mad Jack knowledge and insight are great about a lot of schools. I think @AlteredScale seems to be in the know about the research going on with most DO schools. He also attends KCU.

 

[Mad Jack]

I think most would say NSU>TUNCOM.

@Mad Jack don't you attend NSU? Maybe you could offer some perspective here.

If he really wants to practice in CA, I'd strongly recommend COMP. Many of OP's downsides about the school are really nonissues- recorded lectures are fine, most people don't even go to class and watch the lectures at 2x at most schools anyway. Large class sizes actually don't impact me much at my school (175), as they split the class into two halves that make things feel much smaller. Anatomy is difficult to integrate and is usually its own grade regardless of school. NSU is also an excellent school, but it's all the way across the country- are you okay with that OP? As to the other two, Kansas City seems to be a far cry from OP's ideal environment, but has a great curriculum and reputation. And Touro? With all of the other available choices, just no.

 

[jevindoes]

If he really wants to practice in CA, I'd strongly recommend COMP. Many of OP's downsides about the school are really nonissues- recorded lectures are fine, most people don't even go to class and watch the lectures at 2x at most schools anyway. Large class sizes actually don't impact me much at my school (175), as they split the class into two halves that make things feel much smaller. Anatomy is difficult to integrate and is usually its own grade regardless of school. NSU is also an excellent school, but it's all the way across the country- are you okay with that OP? As to the other two, Kansas City seems to be a far cry from OP's ideal environment, but has a great curriculum and reputation. And Touro? With all of the other available choices, just no.

I figured the list of cons I had for Western were minor. I do like how WesternCOMP is only an hour flight away from home, and that it gives me a good chance to practice in California. I am very close to my family, and would like to be able to see them more than just during the holidays. Do you think that these factors would outweigh the curriculum, reputation, etc. of KCU and NSU?

 

[Mad Jack]

I figured the list of cons I had for Western were minor. I do like how WesternCOMP is only an hour flight away from home, and that it gives me a good chance to practice in California. I am very close to my family, and would like to be able to see them more than just during the holidays. Do you think that these factors would outweigh the curriculum, reputation, etc. of KCU and NSU?

I'm a sentimental guy, so I always choose family/friends over all else. Keeping close ties with those I care about has helped me keep relatively sane and stable throughout medical school, and has made the experience much, much less awful than it would have been otherwise. That's just my two cents though- this is something only you can answer for yourself.

Overall, COMP and NSU aren't substantially different from one another reputation-wise, at least, not to the point one is going to be snagging you residencies the other doesn't. KCU might open up a couple doors, but those doors might be far from home. Really though, at the end of the day, as an osteopathic student, your results will depend far more on your own hard work and board scores than on what school you went to, so go to the place that you envision yourself being happiest.

 

[docycle]

Sounds like COMP is the winner.

Doubt it's that much of a sacrifice. I just don't know if there's any guarantee you'll be staying instate for residency, depending on what specialty you want.

 

[AlteredScale]

Just some stuff to add: KCU just won a 30 million dollar grant to renovate the area around the campus. You'll also have a new gym because they are adding a new health and wellness center. As being someone from CA, the weather is def doable. I haven't to buy any new clothes...I just layer stuff on. KCU is one of the few DO schools to actually be very very close to an urban environment which is something I absolutely needed.

If family is important I would attend Touro-CA. A DO school is a DO school is a DO school. Location can help tremendously since you'll rotate in CA at Touro.

 

[Teioh]

Are you from norcal? You're a flight away from all those choices so distance shouldn't matter too much unless you can't stand sitting on planes. I second Touro-CA if possible. If not, KCU edges out the other 3.

 

[jevindoes]

Are you from norcal? You're a flight away from all those choices so distance shouldn't matter too much unless you can't stand sitting on planes. I second Touro-CA if possible. If not, KCU edges out the other 3.

I am from NorCal, so that is a good point. But given I perform well on boards and during rotations, wouldn't going to WesternCOMP give me a better chance of matching in California? Or am I being delusional. And I have not heard from Touro CA yet, but I'd definitely interview there if given the chance.

 

[AlteredScale]

Ohp....my bad OP. I forgot you mean TU-Nevada. Def go to western then.

 

[123456123456]

I would love to go to Nova as a FL resident to I personally would choose that. The Nevada slightly above Kansas (a lot of apartments have nice gyms or you could get a cheap membership near school). I do not think living in Cali would be worth the extra expense since you have many acceptances

 

[docycle]

I do not think living in Cali would be worth the extra expense since you have many acceptances

Being close to fam is important for OP. That's why COMP was suggested.

If it was me I'd go NSU. Great rep, treats students well, cheap.

 

[jevindoes]

Being close to fam is important for OP. That's why COMP was suggested.

If it was me I'd go NSU. Great rep, treats students well, cheap.

Your input is very much appreciated. However, I wouldn't say that NSU is necessarily cheap. Here is a tuition comparison among the 4 schools

NSU: $52,698
KCU: $43,288
WesternCOMP: $53,610
TUNCOM: $53,160

 

[Bones 2020]

Your input is very much appreciated. However, I wouldn't say that NSU is necessarily cheap. Here is a tuition comparison among the 4 schools

NSU: $52,698
KCU: $43,288
WesternCOMP: $53,610
TUNCOM: $53,160

You need to account for cost of living as well

 

[docycle]

Your input is very much appreciated. However, I wouldn't say that NSU is necessarily cheap. Here is a tuition comparison among the 4 schools

NSU: $52,698
KCU: $43,288
WesternCOMP: $53,610
TUNCOM: $53,160

My bad. I keep thinking anything <60k is cheap, but pretty much all schools schools are so eh. Not a huge consideration for me. But sure (probably worst case interest: 1.08)^(years you can't pay it off)*40k[diff b/w KCU and NSU/Western/TUN over 4yrs) is what you'd be stuck with at the beginning of residency by not choosing KCU I guess. And if you don't pay down that 55k, or whatever it is during that time, it'll continue to grow. So say you pay down 10k on the principle during PGY1 -- 45k still grows @ 8% (3.6k) and so on throughout residency. Assuming it takes 5 years to get that difference paid down, I'm estimating you'd pay out a 65-70k difference?

If it's worth it to you to save around that amount, I'd go KCU I guess.

 

[docycle]

You need to account for cost of living as well

Idk if Lauderdale is really all that much less expensive than KC though. I thought KC COL was pretty low to begin with.

This says COL is 26% higher in Ft.L: http://www.bestplaces.net/cost-of-living/kansas-city-mo/fort-lauderdale-fl/50000

 

[AlteredScale]

The avg rent in KC is 700-1200 a month. Gas here is 1.70-1.80 a gallon. Food here isn't too bad (except milk...idk why it's so expensive here). So with KCU being in the city and living either nearby it or about 10-30 min away id say COL is nothing to worry about in KC. I live with my wife and we run on student loans entirely and have a lot of extra on the side.

 

[jevindoes]

My bad. I keep thinking anything <60k is cheap, but pretty much all schools schools are so eh. Not a huge consideration for me. But sure (probably worst case interest: 1.08)^(years you can't pay it off)*40k[diff b/w KCU and NSU/Western/TUN over 4yrs) is what you'd be stuck with at the beginning of residency by not choosing KCU I guess. And if you don't pay down that 55k, or whatever it is during that time, it'll continue to grow. So say you pay down 10k on the principle during PGY1 -- 45k still grows @ 8% (3.6k) and so on throughout residency. Assuming it takes 5 years to get that difference paid down, I'm estimating you'd pay out a 65-70k difference?

If it's worth it to you to save around that amount, I'd go KCU I guess.

Thanks for breaking that down. Will take this into account.

The avg rent in KC is 700-1200 a month. Gas here is 1.70-1.80 a gallon. Food here isn't too bad (except milk...idk why it's so expensive here). So with KCU being in the city and living either nearby it or about 10-30 min away id say COL is nothing to worry about in KC. I live with my wife and we run on student loans entirely and have a lot of extra on the side.

Thanks for the insight. I assume it's pretty much necessary to own a car in KC despite the new light rail system I hear they are implementing?

 

[AlteredScale]

Thanks for breaking that down. Will take this into account.



Thanks for the insight. I assume it's pretty much necessary to own a car in KC despite the new light rail system I hear they are implementing?

Yeah a car is necessary to get around unless you wanna be stuck in Century Towers and school.

 

[jevindoes]

Just an update and my thought process a few days before my first deposit is due:

My deposit for NSU is coming up this Wednesday, but after much deliberation I will be declining my acceptances from NSU and Touro Nevada. NSU is a very good school with great weather, facilities, and beautiful location, but I realized that I should not be picking a school based on these factors, as I will probably be studying for most of the time. I received an acceptance from KCUMB last week and feel that I personally will be better prepared there (i prefer the repetition of KCU's curriculum, and preparation for board exams). I do not feel as confident with TUNCOM as it is still a relatively new school.

I am still waiting for the snail mail decision letter from WesternCOMP. If granted an acceptance from COMP, it will be a tough decision for me between COMP and KCUMB. It will basically come down to location vs. reputation/curriculum/board prep. As of now, I am leaning towards COMP as it would be closer to home, I would be able to take my car down to Pomona from NorCal, and the better chance of making connections, matching, and ultimately practicing in California. My family is very close-knit, and as I said in my original post I would like to come home more often than just the holidays. I've also heard from many others that how I perform on the boards is largely dependent on ME and not the curriculum.

Lastly, I really appreciate everyone's input in this thread. It's one of the biggest decisions I've ever had to make, so it helps having input from more experienced members. If anyone has any other suggestions I am all ears. Thanks again!