ACOM vs WCUCOM vs LMU-DCOM

[themountain123]

I have been fortunate enough to be accepted to all three but need help deciding, i really conflicted between mostly acom vs wcucom. If anyone knows what the research opportunities are for each that would be a huge help as I have no prior research experience but want to break into it in med school.
ACOM (6 hours away)
Pros
- great rotation sites
- good match list
- students seem supported
Cons
- Tution!! 60k is expensive and idk if ill be getting my moneys worth over wcu
- Mandatory attendance for some classes

WCU (6 hours away)
Pros
- decent rotation sites
- pass fail
- have faculty to help find research (but idk how that will go with no prior experience)
- tuition! (46)
Cons
- has had past issues, but seem mostly resolved
- mandatory attendance for some classes

LMU (3 hours away)
Pros
- closer to home but only by 3 hours
-students seem supportive
- good location
- majority optional class attendance
Cons
- expensive tuition
- lot of issues in the past
- don't know how available research is

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[Hollow Knight]

I just came here to say don't you dare go to LMU. It's a lousy school that charges exorbitant tuition for not the most benefit for students. Just trying to warn you. I've had faculty and physician grads of that program tell me to steer clear.

I have friends who went to ACOM and did fine.

Never heard of WCU

 

[themountain123]

I just came here to say don't you dare go to LMU. It's a lousy school that charges exorbitant tuition for not the most benefit for students. Just trying to warn you. I've had faculty and physician grads of that program tell me to steer clear.

I have friends who went to ACOM and did fine.

Never heard of WCU

Thanks for the reply! Right now I’m leaning towards acom but William Carey university is 10k cheaper and seems decent so I wanted a second opinion

 

[Hollow Knight]

Thanks for the reply! Right now I’m leaning towards acom but William Carey university is 10k cheaper and seems decent so I wanted a second opinion

We both just happen to be looking at this thread right now haha

10k per year? Or 10K total?

If you don't mind, could you post the total 4 year cost of attendance for both schools?

 

[themountain123]

We both just happen to be looking at this thread right now haha

10k per year? Or 10K total?

If you don't mind, could you post the total 4 year cost of attendance for both schools?

10k per year
- Acom (60k per year) so 240k tution over 4 years
- wcu (48k per year) so 192k tution
I think living cost is similar

 

[Hollow Knight]

Thanks.

So first, I recommend you google and buy the White Coat Investor's Guide for Students. That way, you won't have to just believe a stranger on the internet; you'll know I'm giving you decent advice, because maths.

Anyways- if you go to ACOM's website (Cost of Attendance - ACOM) and include living expenses, it'll come out to about $400,000 total. WCU's website didn't really catch living expenses for whatever reason.

I'd go with WCU. $400,000 is starting to reach the point where it becomes a little difficult to pay off your loans as a family physician or internist. Honestly, that's just not a reasonable debt load. The general rule of thumb is that you don't want to borrow more than 2 times your annual salary, so assuming you'll crack 200k working full-time as a family doc, 400k is about the upper limit you should consider borrowing.

You may become a neurosurgeon, but I'd be scared personally to borrow so much money that I felt like I was FORCED to specialize, ya know what I mean?

This is assuming though that WCU doesn't have any major issues that will cause you to fail your boards and not match.

Sorry for the text wall. Hope this helps

 

[themountain123]

Thanks.

So first, I recommend you google and buy the White Coat Investor's Guide for Students. That way, you won't have to just believe a stranger on the internet; you'll know I'm giving you decent advice, because maths.

Anyways- if you go to ACOM's website (Cost of Attendance - ACOM) and include living expenses, it'll come out to about $400,000 total. WCU's website didn't really catch living expenses for whatever reason.

I'd go with WCU. $400,000 is starting to reach the point where it becomes a little difficult to pay off your loans as a family physician or internist. Honestly, that's just not a reasonable debt load. The general rule of thumb is that you don't want to borrow more than 2 times your annual salary, so assuming you'll crack 200k working full-time as a family doc, 400k is about the upper limit you should consider borrowing.

You may become a neurosurgeon, but I'd be scared personally to borrow so much money that I felt like I was FORCED to specialize, ya know what I mean?

This is assuming though that WCU doesn't have any major issues that will cause you to fail your boards and not match.

Sorry for the text wall. Hope this helps

That makes sense! I was originally leaning wcu for this exact reason but lately iv been thinking acom due to the fact that I think they have more research opportunities and they have a good history of anasthesia match (I know it chances but currently interested in IM,FM, and gas cuz I like procedures) and thankfully I have parents that have saved up for a significant portion of my tution but I’m still pretty torn. The tution difference is definitely smth to think about and I really appreciate the perspective

 

[theriddler3]

Hey, I'm currently going between WCUCOM and ACOM and was wondering what you ended up deciding?

 

[themountain123]

Hey, I'm currently going between WCUCOM and ACOM and was wondering what you ended up deciding?

So I ended up going to another school close to home but unless you are dead set on primary care I’d say ACOM, it’s a solid school with good rotation sites

 

[theriddler3]

So I ended up going to another school close to home but unless you are dead set on primary care I’d say ACOM, it’s a solid school with good rotation sites

Thank you! Just worried about that graded policy lol