ATSU-KCOM vs. VCOM-CC

[Jacks14]

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Hey all! Would love to hear some opinions on this matter.. There are pros and cons for both, though AT Still is more established and closer to home for me, the 54 grand tuition just seems so steep (for someone who had to take out loans for undergrad and grad school too). Any thoughts are welcome 🙂 Thanks!

 

[DO2015CA]

They'll both get you where you want to go. What's the comparison in cost? I turned down a school based on cost because it was 8k more a year than the one I'm currently at but entering 3rd year the school I go to has raised prices by 2k every year while the other school stayed the same. Now tuition is only 4K more which I probably would've went to the other school if that was the case. Look at if one is increasing tuition every year compared to the other.

 

[medstar11]

Honestly I would go with whichever school was more comfortable for you. Unless you are talking >10k difference a year that money will not be a huge thing in the long run. I personally love KCOM and cost of living here is way cheaper than most other places so that may make up your difference in tuition. If you have any questions about KCOM feel free to shoot me a pm. Medical school is a big decision and you should pick the school with the best fit for your learning style and personality instead of price.


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[68PGunner]

Go w/ the one closer to home.

 

[Ho0v-man]

The curriculum at KCOM is block testing every 3-4 weeks vs stacked exams at VCOM where you're tested more frequently but in less material at one time. Doesn't VCOM have mandatory attendance too? Avoid that if you can.

 

[Jacks14]

@DO2015CA I think tuition for the coming year at KCOM is 54 grand, whereas VCOM is 44 or 45 grand. Kirksville is less expensive as far as living, and I have a master's so it almost feels like I'm gonna be in a s*** ton of debt regardless. And yeah, I wasn't a huge fan of the stacked testing at VCOM but figure I can adapt to the testing. More so wasn't a fan of mandatory class attendance in case I end up learning better on my own.

@medstar11 thanks for the thoughts! I will shoot you a PM 🙂

 

[deleted564680]

KCOM is up to 54k/year? Wow. I think it was 40k my first year...only 7 years ago. Our kids will be paying 100k/year.

Crazy that they can have a big endowment from 100+ years of being around and have multiple campuses and yet still need to raise tuition. Must be for the secretaries to get their own secretaries. I'm glad I toss the mail asking for donations right in the trash. (Although I did love the school, education, etc. and couldn't recommend it more from that aspect).

 

[Ho0v-man]

KCOM is up to 54k/year? Wow. I think it was 40k my first year...only 7 years ago. Our kids will be paying 100k/year.

Crazy that they can have a big endowment from 100+ years of being around and have multiple campuses and yet still need to raise tuition. Must be for the secretaries to get their own secretaries. I'm glad I toss the mail asking for donations right in the trash. (Although I did love the school, education, etc. and couldn't recommend it more from that aspect).

The cheapest DO school in the country is LECOM at 33k/yr now. 2nd place goes to kycom at 43k. It's insane.

Edit: obviously excluding instate tuition at the public schools.

 

[deleted564680]

Yeah, LECOM prefers the quantity model to be able to advertise a lower tuition/student. Can we jam 400 med students and 320 pharm students into one two-story building the size of a big library...sure, why not?

 

[Jacks14]

@Cubsfan10 it's insane, right? I loved KCOM but I'm just like, at this point, with my loans from undergrad/grad school if they continue to raise tuition during my four years, I'm not sure how I'll pay for it.... My mentor went to Des Moines 12 years ago and about crapped his pants when I told him what their tuition was now. Really wish tuition could at least be guaranteed for the four years you're there!

 

[MADD!!!]

I'd recommend KCOM. They have a lot of connections around the country.

 

[Jacks14]

Thanks for the advice everyone! There's four people who need to come off the waitlist before me to attend KCOM starting July 10, but I have a deferred acceptance for next year if that doesn't happen. I'd just much rather stay closer to home (and attend a more established school). I have even considered taking the deferred acceptance at KCOM over starting this year at VCOM, as I have the opportunity to start doing ortho research in the clinic I work in if I do take the DA. Lots of things to consider 😵

 

[Ho0v-man]

Thanks for the advice everyone! There's four people who need to come off the waitlist before me to attend KCOM starting July 10, but I have a deferred acceptance for next year if that doesn't happen. I'd just much rather stay closer to home (and attend a more established school). I have even considered taking the deferred acceptance at KCOM over starting this year at VCOM, as I have the opportunity to start doing ortho research in the clinic I work in if I do take the DA. Lots of things to consider 😵

To each his/her own. Keep in mind that you're setting a year of physician income on fire by not attending this year if given the opportunity to do so. You're also giving them another year to raise tuition. I had to defer a year and I personally regret it almost every day. But I didn't have much of a choice...

 

[DO2015CA]

Do what you gotta do, but getting it over with is my best advice.

 

[Mbeas]

wow. $10000 increase in tuition at kcom since I started there only 5 years ago. that's ridiculous. with that said, i agree with cubsfan. wouldn't have traded my education or experience for anything. loved it.

 

[abolt18]

First off, DEFINITELY don't defer a year just to go to KCOM. You'll quickly find that the differences in education are minimal between schools. Your performance will depend largely on you. Don't waste a year dinking around just to go to KCOM. Based on my interactions with other DO students, schools are more similar than they are different.

Secondly, that tuition difference is quite substantial. I'd be hard pressed to choose Kirksville over that (and I just graduated from Kirksville). 10K/yr * 4yrs = $40K. Is the education provided by KCOM really going to be $40,000.00 worth better than VCOM? I would argue a resounding no, it is not. Go to VCOM, save yourself a lot of money.

I just graduated from Kirksville. It got me where I needed to go, but really I got me where I needed to go, through my own hard work. I cannot tell you where my tuition dollars went for the last 2 years. They did very little for me 3rd and 4th year, outside of providing me a degree that allows me to say I'm a doctor. Definitely not $100,000 worth. They don't even pay our preceptors. I am perfectly pleased with the first 2 years, however.

 

[sunnyk123]

I just graduated from Kirksville. It got me where I needed to go, but really I got me where I needed to go, through my own hard work. I cannot tell you where my tuition dollars went for the last 2 years. They did very little for me 3rd and 4th year, outside of providing me a degree that allows me to say I'm a doctor. Definitely not $100,000 worth. They don't even pay our preceptors. I am perfectly pleased with the first 2 years, however.

But aren't they known for having pretty good rotations?

 

[abolt18]

But aren't they known for having pretty good rotations?

I was at one of the "better" rotation sites that is more coveted. I thought the quality was extremely variable. I had some really amazing rotations and a some major flops. My best rotations were ones that I sought out and made happen myself (away rotation and preceptors that I contacted on my own). A lot of rotations were with residents, which I think is a major strength (no matter what anyone else tells you), but a very large amount of my classmates didn't have those opportunities.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Moving to Pre- Med forum

 

[Throwaway6969420]

As the others have stated, I'd go with KCOM if there isn't any mandatory attendance. I get sooooooooo much more done not having to listen to professors speak at .0025x speed in lecture.