- Joined
- Nov 25, 2014
- Messages
- 55
- Reaction score
- 29
I was lucky enough to have some options this application cycle and have it narrowed down to UCF and Mizzou, but I'm having a hard time making the final choice. The curriculum at each school is essentially a wash M1-M4 (there is good and bad about both). For what its worth, I've wanted to be a dermatologist for as long as I can remember, even if it may be a bit of an uphill battle from a school that's not in the upper tier.
Here's my situation:
Finances: I received a scholarship from UCF but nothing from Mizzou. Since Missouri is my home state, Mizzou still costs about $13,000 less per year. Also, I would definitely need a car at UCF (which I dont currently have), but I wouldn't need one at Mizzou.
UCF: Pros -I love the school, the area, the potential it has to grow in to something bigger, and an opportunity to go somewhere new.
-My girlfriend will be in Jacksonville, and my grandparents live a couple hours south.
-Everybody I've met at the school seems to want whats best for the students.
-There are tons of resources to make sure everybody does as well as they can on the boards (including plenty of time off to study), and there is designated research time (kind of) in the FIRE program.
Cons- lack of home residency programs and everything that comes with it like, connections, research (not that Mizzou is a powerhouse, but still), and mentors. There have been several people that matched in to dermatology from UCF in the past couple years, but it seems like it may be even tougher than coming from Mizzou? (and there was somebody that it says matched at UT-Southwestern, but no resident in their program is from UCF...)
Mizzou: Pros -Its familiar (good and bad).
-My brother will live in CoMo for another two years while he gets his masters, and the rest of my family lives in St. Louis.
-Home residency programs, with pretty solid dermatology matches for what it is (Emory, UChicago, SLU, and a handful of home matches over the past two years)
-$52,000 less in tuition and no need for a car
Cons- Unfortunately, Mizzou doesn't set time aside for the boards, and the average accepted scores (MCAT/GPA) are lower, which bothers me more than it should.
- Part of me wants something different, but it would be awesome to live with my brother for a bit
Sorry for the novel...
Here's my situation:
Finances: I received a scholarship from UCF but nothing from Mizzou. Since Missouri is my home state, Mizzou still costs about $13,000 less per year. Also, I would definitely need a car at UCF (which I dont currently have), but I wouldn't need one at Mizzou.
UCF: Pros -I love the school, the area, the potential it has to grow in to something bigger, and an opportunity to go somewhere new.
-My girlfriend will be in Jacksonville, and my grandparents live a couple hours south.
-Everybody I've met at the school seems to want whats best for the students.
-There are tons of resources to make sure everybody does as well as they can on the boards (including plenty of time off to study), and there is designated research time (kind of) in the FIRE program.
Cons- lack of home residency programs and everything that comes with it like, connections, research (not that Mizzou is a powerhouse, but still), and mentors. There have been several people that matched in to dermatology from UCF in the past couple years, but it seems like it may be even tougher than coming from Mizzou? (and there was somebody that it says matched at UT-Southwestern, but no resident in their program is from UCF...)
Mizzou: Pros -Its familiar (good and bad).
-My brother will live in CoMo for another two years while he gets his masters, and the rest of my family lives in St. Louis.
-Home residency programs, with pretty solid dermatology matches for what it is (Emory, UChicago, SLU, and a handful of home matches over the past two years)
-$52,000 less in tuition and no need for a car
Cons- Unfortunately, Mizzou doesn't set time aside for the boards, and the average accepted scores (MCAT/GPA) are lower, which bothers me more than it should.
- Part of me wants something different, but it would be awesome to live with my brother for a bit
Sorry for the novel...