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- Feb 5, 2011
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I was hesitant to post here because it almost seems kind of funny to make such an important decision sound like a boxing match . However, I am looking for some solid information to help me make this decision. I will say that I am currently leaning toward Toledo even though it is a difficult decision for a few reasons.
My background: I am married and have a son who will be 1 year old tomorrow. My family lives in Lancaster, PA and my wife's family lives in Staten Island, NY. Her parents have virtually moved from Albania to the U.S. to be closer to their daughter. I have a strong interest in Radiology and related fields, though I recognize this could change. I want to take care of my family, so cost of living and financial aid are a big deal to me. I also want to attend the best institution possible and am most concerned with providing the best situation possible for my wife and son both now and in the future.
My Current Pros and Cons for each school
Commonwealth Pros
- Great location (2 hrs away from both my parents and my wife's) that seems like a good place for a family
- Very innovative curriculum that matches my current interests well
- Low cost of living and environment
- Very kind people in the area in general
- Strong public health focus (my undergrad major)
- This is kind of stupid, but I love to fly-fish and I am assigned to the Williamsport regional campus which will mean great fly-fishing haha
Commonwealth Cons
- Accreditation issues - the recent fall through with U Scranton is very alarming to me as I was told this was virtually a done deal at my interview. The school is supposed to be okay through 2016, but not sure how I feel about graduating from a school that might not exist long after I graduate.
- It seems the school is lacking certain resources and infrastructure - it doesn't seem to have a lot of research opportunities in house (at least a diversity of them), there are a lot of programs but it seemed to me like they weren't well organized or even really happening.
- No hospital or in-house residency programs. It also seemed like there is a primary care focus and less resources for pursuing specialties.
- It seemed like less affiliations with other academic institutions / programs and the fact that the school hasn't graduated a class yet makes me wonder how the school will match.
- Seems like tuition went up dramatically here, even for in-state (which I may or may not qualify for).
Toledo Pros
- Well established institution with strong match lists with a focus on a diversity of specialties
- High Step 1 avg score and especially good step 1 prep.
- Good research opportunities
- Sound infrastructure and stability
- Some of the nicest faculty and students I have met (probably the nicest on the interview trail)
- I've heard the cost of living is low but know less about this (any info would be good).
- It seems like there are some nice areas close to the school but my wife and I didn't really get to see them (we mainly saw the city).
- More scholarships/financial aid available.
- High out of state tuition first year, low for second through fourth.
Toledo Cons
- The distance from our families is rough (8hrs to my parents, 10hrs to my wife's)
- Toledo the city seemed like a mixed bag but kind of a little rough at parts. It seemed like there is some really fun stuff to do there (we went to the Zoo) but I wouldn't want to live in the city.
- Bigger student class, though I am not too worried about this as I felt the professors were very focused on getting to know their students.
- Because of being out of state, I am worried about how the first year will affect funds needed for cost of living.
- Lack of recreational opportunities, particularly for an outdoorsman (though I don't know much about this area so there may be) ... again, I know this one is kind of stupid haha
Sorry for all I wrote - don't expect many people to read through all that but grateful for any help, advice, or info out there, particularly from students at these schools. It was just good to organize my thoughts and I would appreciate any help. I feel very grateful to have a decision to make - just wish I had more than a few days to make it.
My background: I am married and have a son who will be 1 year old tomorrow. My family lives in Lancaster, PA and my wife's family lives in Staten Island, NY. Her parents have virtually moved from Albania to the U.S. to be closer to their daughter. I have a strong interest in Radiology and related fields, though I recognize this could change. I want to take care of my family, so cost of living and financial aid are a big deal to me. I also want to attend the best institution possible and am most concerned with providing the best situation possible for my wife and son both now and in the future.
My Current Pros and Cons for each school
Commonwealth Pros
- Great location (2 hrs away from both my parents and my wife's) that seems like a good place for a family
- Very innovative curriculum that matches my current interests well
- Low cost of living and environment
- Very kind people in the area in general
- Strong public health focus (my undergrad major)
- This is kind of stupid, but I love to fly-fish and I am assigned to the Williamsport regional campus which will mean great fly-fishing haha
Commonwealth Cons
- Accreditation issues - the recent fall through with U Scranton is very alarming to me as I was told this was virtually a done deal at my interview. The school is supposed to be okay through 2016, but not sure how I feel about graduating from a school that might not exist long after I graduate.
- It seems the school is lacking certain resources and infrastructure - it doesn't seem to have a lot of research opportunities in house (at least a diversity of them), there are a lot of programs but it seemed to me like they weren't well organized or even really happening.
- No hospital or in-house residency programs. It also seemed like there is a primary care focus and less resources for pursuing specialties.
- It seemed like less affiliations with other academic institutions / programs and the fact that the school hasn't graduated a class yet makes me wonder how the school will match.
- Seems like tuition went up dramatically here, even for in-state (which I may or may not qualify for).
Toledo Pros
- Well established institution with strong match lists with a focus on a diversity of specialties
- High Step 1 avg score and especially good step 1 prep.
- Good research opportunities
- Sound infrastructure and stability
- Some of the nicest faculty and students I have met (probably the nicest on the interview trail)
- I've heard the cost of living is low but know less about this (any info would be good).
- It seems like there are some nice areas close to the school but my wife and I didn't really get to see them (we mainly saw the city).
- More scholarships/financial aid available.
- High out of state tuition first year, low for second through fourth.
Toledo Cons
- The distance from our families is rough (8hrs to my parents, 10hrs to my wife's)
- Toledo the city seemed like a mixed bag but kind of a little rough at parts. It seemed like there is some really fun stuff to do there (we went to the Zoo) but I wouldn't want to live in the city.
- Bigger student class, though I am not too worried about this as I felt the professors were very focused on getting to know their students.
- Because of being out of state, I am worried about how the first year will affect funds needed for cost of living.
- Lack of recreational opportunities, particularly for an outdoorsman (though I don't know much about this area so there may be) ... again, I know this one is kind of stupid haha
Sorry for all I wrote - don't expect many people to read through all that but grateful for any help, advice, or info out there, particularly from students at these schools. It was just good to organize my thoughts and I would appreciate any help. I feel very grateful to have a decision to make - just wish I had more than a few days to make it.