Baylor vs. Yale

[lalala08720]

So I was all set to go to Baylor and then I got accepted off of the Yale waitlist, and now I'm very torn. Any advice appreciated!

Baylor:
+ great social support: close to parents (4 hours), close to several friends, 4 hours from significant other
+ in-state tuition
+ TMC is amazing
- a little harder to fit research in (no protected research time, no thesis requirement, no summer after 1st year)
- only one student run free clinic and was told at second look that it's pretty overcrowded and you're only allowed to volunteer twice/semester

Yale
+ dream school
+ protected research time, can take funded 5th year for research, summer after first year where I can do research (I worked in an NIH lab last summer and would love to go back)
+ multiple student run free clinics, including an LGBTQ one which is something I care a lot about
- far from friends and family: my sister lives in Philly but that's it
- significantly more expensive


Basically, I think Yale is the better school fit but it's far from my support system and more expensive.

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[JRSmith]

It seems that you are really passionate about helping the underserved. If you truly think Yale is your dream school then definitely go. The Yale curriculum itself is almost too great to pass up. However, I still think the cost is a major factor since Baylor is so cheap. If the cost difference is greater than 100k, I would stick with Baylor. Otherwise, I'd go with Yale. Possibly ask Yale to match Baylor's tuition.

 

[Mynameisnobody]

Yale hands down!

 

[CarpeDiem1993]

Yale 100%.

 

[lalalallala]

I don't think you should feel like you have to go to yale just because it is yale. think about the factors that matter the most to you (is it SO, friends, family or is it really protected research time?)

 

[Quantal Reasoning]

Baylor. Support system, money, and weather. Incredible match list, you really have no problem matching an academic residency from Baylor if that's what you're concerned about.

 

[rball]

So I was all set to go to Baylor and then I got accepted off of the Yale waitlist, and now I'm very torn. Any advice appreciated!

Baylor:
+ great social support: close to parents (4 hours), close to several friends, 4 hours from significant other
+ in-state tuition
+ TMC is amazing
- a little harder to fit research in (no protected research time, no thesis requirement, no summer after 1st year)
- only one student run free clinic and was told at second look that it's pretty overcrowded and you're only allowed to volunteer twice/semester

Yale
+ dream school
+ protected research time, can take funded 5th year for research, summer after first year where I can do research (I worked in an NIH lab last summer and would love to go back)
+ multiple student run free clinics, including an LGBTQ one which is something I care a lot about
- far from friends and family: my sister lives in Philly but that's it
- significantly more expensive


Basically, I think Yale is the better school fit but it's far from my support system and more expensive.

First of all try as hard as possible to get Yale to match Baylor’s offer. Advice below is assuming those efforts are unsuccessful.

Depends on how much more expensive and what you want out of a career. If you are deadset on primary care and baylor is hundreds of thousands more expensive, go to Baylor.

Otherwise, Yale hands down no questions asked. First of all you said you preferred the school and the fit. This is the most important factor when choosing a medical school, because it plays into how well you do in med school, which affects the rest of your career.

Second, Yale will make it significantly easier to match into any program you want in any specialty you want. This can have a significant impact on the quality of your life in the future - you have more control over where you want to live, what exact career options are available to you, whether you want to exit clinical medicine or take on side endeavors, etc. Baylor is a tremendous school; Yale is on another level and matched only by a few in terms of the doors it will open for you throughout your career inside and outside of medicine. Those doors can still be opened from Baylor, you will just need to work significantly harder or achieve significantly more.

Keep in mind OP, this is SDN - attracts people who are jealous, wished they could have had your options back when they were deciding, premeds who have no idea what its like to have your options, premeds who know they will never be in your shoes and are envious because of it, premeds who maybe on yale waitlist, etc etc. The responses you get here will always be skewed towards the school that makes things “harder” for you in the future. Look at every single thread on this site and you’ll see it time and time again. I’d highly recommend talking to actual physicians and residents to better understand the real world.

 

[lalalallala]

Keep in mind OP, this is SDN - attracts people who are jealous, wished they could have had your options back when they were deciding, premeds who have no idea what its like to have your options, premeds who know they will never be in your shoes and are envious because of it, premeds who maybe on yale waitlist, etc etc. The responses you get here will always be skewed towards the school that makes things “harder” for you in the future. Look at every single thread on this site and you’ll see it time and time again. I’d highly recommend talking to actual physicians and residents.

Yes and SDN also attracts people who value prestige and the quickest route to the top of the field over everything else. For some people their family and SO matter. Seeing them often matters. Being home in time for dinner matters more than being chief of surgery for some people, but not for others. Certainly Yale is a great school and you should consider it strongly, but people who tell you that you don't have to pick the most prestigious route aren't all out to get you. Think of what matters most to you in these next four years and beyond and choose based off of that. That may be the potentially boost that Yale gives you or it may be that you would be happier and thrive near your support system. Up to you

 

[Lucca]

How much more money we talking? I think Baylor is the better choice unless the financial difference is less than 50k.